Blinken in Egypt to add pressure for Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Cairo early Wednesday for a brief visit aimed at discussing efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, U.S. officials said.

This marks Blinken’s tenth trip to the region since the outbreak of hostilities on 7 October 2023. Notably, his itinerary includes only Cairo, eschewing visits to Israel or other Arab capitals.

American officials have privately stated that they do not expect any significant progress from Blinken’s meetings in Cairo. However, the U.S. diplomat intends to continue applying pressure for a ceasefire.

Washington hopes to secure a ceasefire agreement ahead of the November presidential elections and as President Joe Biden’s term nears its end.

There are concerns that each passing day increases the risk of regional escalation, if not outright conflict.

The simultaneous explosions yesterday in Lebanon, which killed at least nine people and injured nearly 2,800, demonstrated the complexities and dangers of the situation. Hezbollah blamed Israel for the attacks.

During his stay, Blinken is scheduled to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and co-chair a session of the U.S.-Egypt strategic dialogue. A joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty is also expected.

Last week, Washington decided to release the full amount of its annual military aid to Cairo ($1.3 billion) without attaching any human rights conditions, unlike last year.

The decision is now pending approval from Congress.