Blinken Travels to Egypt and Israel to Strengthen Gaza Cease-fire Talks

Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Egypt on Monday for his eighth visit to the region during a critical time in the Gaza conflict. The State Department aims to increase pressure on both Hamas and Israel to agree to a cease-fire and prevent the war from spreading into Lebanon.

Mr. Blinken is scheduled to visit Jordan and Qatar later this week. In Egypt, he will meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo before heading to Israel the same day.

During his visit to Israel, Mr. Blinken will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as per a State Department itinerary.

The visit by the U.S. Secretary of State follows Israel’s three-phase cease-fire proposal outlined by President Joe Biden on May 31. The proposal focuses on achieving a permanent resolution to the conflict, the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and the reconstruction of Gaza, under control of Hamas since 2006.

Israel launched its military offensive against Hamas after the October 7, 2023, massacre in which Hamas killed over 1,200 civilians and took nearly 300 people hostage.

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Since the conflict began, there have been significant casualties on the Palestinian side, resulting in thousands of deaths and displacements of hundreds of thousands, with much of Gaza destroyed.

During a rescue operation in central Gaza on June 8, four Israeli hostages were freed but at the cost of the Israeli police counter-terrorism unit commander’s life. The Gaza health ministry, controlled by Hamas, reported over 270 Palestinian deaths, without distinguishing between civilians and militants.

Mr. Blinken’s visit coincides with Israeli minister Benny Gantz’s resignation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government on Sunday, removing opposition power from the coalition.

Although Mr. Gantz’s departure may not immediately impact the government, it could influence Israel’s military efforts and potentially escalate tensions with Hezbollah.

Mr. Blinken had previously met with Mr. Gantz on visits to Israel.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated on June 7 that the key focus of Mr. Blinken’s visit is negotiating a cease-fire agreement, securing hostages’ release, and preventing further escalation, with an emphasis on persuading Hamas to accept the proposed plan.

Cease-fire discussions have intensified since President Biden’s address last month, supported by a meeting between CIA director William Burns and mediators from Qatar and Egypt on June 5 in Doha, where the plan’s details were reviewed.

There has only been one week-long cease-fire since the conflict began last year.

Reuters contributed to this article.