US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has made a high-security surprise visit to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, meeting with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, according to photographs released by the Palestinian Authority.

According to AFP, the top US diplomat met with Abbas in Ramallah as global concern grows over rising violence in the occupied territory in tandem with Israel’s bombardment of Gaza since October 7.

Blinken has visited Israel since the start of the war, but this was his first trip to the West Bank.