US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Egypt on Tuesday in his ninth tour to the Middle East since the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza and ahead of resuming ceasefire talks in Cairo this week, according to the US State Department’s statement.
During his visit, Blinken is set to hold meetings with top officials in Cairo to discuss indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in the hope of inking a ceasefire deal in Gaza.
“Secretary Blinken will underscore the critical need for all parties in the region to avoid escalation or any other actions that could undermine the ability to finalize an agreement,” the US statement read.
Late Sunday, Blinken arrived in Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with high-level officials to discuss concluding a deal for a ceasefire and release of captives and detainees.
On Friday, Egypt, the US, and Qatar announced in a joint statement that senior officials from the three countries will meet again in Cairo before the end of this week in a new round of talks in the hope of reaching a deal under the terms presented to Israel and Hamas in Doha.
“Over the past 48 hours in Doha, senior officials from our governments have engaged in intensive talks as mediators to reach an agreement for a ceasefire and the release of hostages and detainees,” the statement read.
On 9 August, the leaders of Egypt, the US, and Qatar issued a joint statement calling on Israel and Hamas to resume talks amid increasing fears of a regional war following the assassination of key Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.
Egypt, along with the US and Qatar, has been mediating indirect talks between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal in the 10-month-old Israeli war on Gaza.
Since 7 October, Israel has killed and injured over 130,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, damaged most of Gaza’s infrastructure, and displaced the majority of the population.
Source: Ahram Online
