Published May 25, 2021, 6:55 AM US Secretary of State Antony Blinken left Monday for a Middle East trip aimed at consolidating the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, a modest objective as Washington expresses a commitment to advancing a two-state solution. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken waves as he departs Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland on May 24, 2021. The United States’ Secretary of State Antony Blinken is departing for a Middle East trip aimed at consolidating the ceasefire that brought 11 days of deadly bombardment between Israel and Hamas to a halt. Alex Brandon / POOL / AFP Blinken heads first to Jerusalem, less than a week after both sides agreed to halt 11 days of bombardment that killed over 200 Palestinians in the ongoing conflict’s worst escalation in years.