The United States' Secretary of State Antony Blinken departs Monday for a Mideast trip aimed at consolidating the ceasefire that brought 11 days of deadly bombardment between Israel and Hamas to a halt. "Secretary Blinken will meet with Israeli leaders about our ironclad commitment to Israel's security," US President Joe Biden said in a statement. "He will continue our administration's efforts to rebuild ties to, and support for, the Palestinian people and leaders, after years of neglect." fff/jm/oho