US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived today, Monday, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the first stop on his tour in the Middle East aimed at enhancing the chances of reaching a truce between Israel and Hamas and the entry of more humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. After Saudi Arabia, Blinken will head to Jordan and Israel on his seventh visit to the region since the outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip on October 7. He is expected to hold new talks with the Saudi leadership regarding the possible normalization of relations with Israel, according to a US State Department official. Also, Blinken will meet in Riyadh with his counterparts from the Gulf States and Europe to discuss plans for rebuilding the Gaza Strip after the war, according to what the US State Department official said. Source: National Iraqi News Agency