BRUSSELS (NEWSnet/AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is making his third trip to the Mideast in recent weeks, seeking an extension of the cease-fire in Israel’s war with Hamas.

The goal is to secure the release of additional hostages held by the militant group and to ramp up humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza. A hostage for prisoner exchange has taken place multiple times in recent days, but the current cease-fire partnered with this effort is set to expire Wednesday.

Before departure from Brussels, Blinken said the Biden administration believes it is imperative to discuss ideas about the future governance of Gaza if Israel achieves its stated goal of eradicating Hamas.

“Everyone’s focused on the day of, on what’s happening in Gaza right now, but we also need to be focused at the same time -- and we are in conversations with many other countries -- on what I call the ‘day after’ and ‘the day after the day after’: I mean, what happens in Gaza once the campaign is over?” the secretary said.

Israel and Arab nations have resisted such discussions, with Israeli officials concentrating on the war and Arab leaders insisting the immediate priority must be ending the fighting that has killed thousands of Palestinian civilians.

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