Germany's Baerbock to visit Middle East in ceasefire push

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is leaving Wednesday evening for a trip to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel and the West Bank to meet with regional officials, Berlin said.

It will be her 11th visit to the Middle East and her ninth to Israel since the Hamas attack on Israel in October, as diplomatic efforts continue in search for an agreement between the warring sides to end the Gaza war.

The militant Islamist group has been designated a terrorist organization by the US, Germany, the EU and others.

The talks are likely to focus on stalled negotiations for a cease-fire in the war, which have been further complicated by the discovery of six Israeli hostages recently murdered in Gaza and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's threat of retaliation.

What is on Baerbock's agenda?

Baerbock's first stop will be Saudi Arabia, where she will meet with Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer said.

Thursday's talks will focus on "the dramatic situation in the region" and "the ongoing attacks by the radical Islamist Houthi militia from Yemen on international shipping," Deschauer said.

Baerbock will then travel to Jordan, where she will meet with her Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi, to discuss "in particular the issue of coordinating humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza."

Meetings in Israel and West Bank

In Israel, talks with Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Defense Minister Joav Galant are scheduled for Friday.

"These talks will focus on plans for an immediate and urgently needed humanitarian cease-fire, which should lead to the release of the hostages and urgently needed humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza," Deschauer said.

Baerbock will then travel to the occupied West Bank, the scene of recent heavy clashes, where she will meet with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa to discuss "how an imminent escalation of violence in the West Bank can be prevented."

UN hails progress in Gaza polio campaign

Meanwhile, the rollout of a polio vaccine to children in Gaza is making good progress, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said.

UNRWA said that three days into the campaign in areas of central Gaza, some 187,000 children had received the vaccine. The campaign will move to other areas of the Palestinian enclave for the second phase.

"Great progress! Every day in the Middle Areas of #Gaza, more children are getting vaccines against #Polio," UNRWA chief, Philippe Lazzarini, said on X, stressing also the urgent need for a permanent cease-fire.

Israel and Hamas militants agreed to eight-hour daily pauses in fighting in pre-determined areas to allow for the vaccination program. No violations were reported.

dh/jcg (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)