Blinken Urges Pressure on Hamas to Free Hostages in Meeting with Saudi Crown Prince

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and called for pressure on Hamas to release the hostages and halt terrorist attacks. Saudi Arabia, which had been working towards normalizing relations with Israel, has put the process on hold following the recent violence sparked by Hamas. Blinken emphasized the need to protect civilians and advance stability in the Middle East. The Saudi crown prince has been engaging in diplomatic outreach to calm the situation, including contacting regional leaders such as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Blinken will travel to Egypt next to continue efforts to pressure Hamas and prevent the conflict from spreading.