WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Top U.S. officials, including CIA Director William Burns and envoys Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein, will visit Egypt and Israel on Thursday, the White House confirmed, as Washington seeks to de-escalate tensions in the region.
CENTCOM’s commander, U.S. Army General Erik Kurilla, also is in the region and will visit Israel as part of the American effort to discuss Iran, Lebanon and the release of hostages in Gaza, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Wednesday.
The latest diplomatic push comes amid efforts to halt hostilities between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
Asked about the potential for such a ceasefire potentially within the next week or two, Jean-Pierre said the White House remained hopeful and was committed to reaching some kind of diplomatic resolution, but gave no other indication about the negotiations
“We’re going to certainly be optimistic,” she said at a regular daily press briefing.
Jean-Pierre also said the U.S. was talking to Israel’s government about the Israeli parliament’s vote banning the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA and that the Biden administration was troubled by any legislation that could shut down the aid agency.
(Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
