Blinken landed in Tel Aviv on Thursday as part of a Middle East tour to show Washington's solidarity with Israel after the attacks by Palestinian Hamas militants and to work to prevent the conflict from widening. Blinken will also try to help secure the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas - some of whom are Americans - and advance talks with Israelis and Egyptians on providing a safe passage of Gaza civilians out of the enclave before a possible Israeli ground invasion.