By Enyichukwu Enemanna
U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken has landed Egypt, where talks on Wednesday, focused on finding progress in achieving a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas over the war in Gaza.
Heritage Times HT recalls that Hamas triggered the conflict with its October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to the capture of 250 hostages.
In response, Israel launched a counter-offensive in Gaza that has killed more than 41,200 Palestinians, a death toll Israel says, include thousands of militant fighters.
Blinken’s visit, comes with the region on high alert amidst risk of expansion of the Gaza war, after militant group Hezbollah vowed to retaliate against Israel, accusing it of detonating pagers across Lebanon on Tuesday.
Egyptian leader, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told Blinken in their meeting on Wednesday morning that Egypt opposed attempts to, “escalate the conflict and expand its scope regionally” and called for all parties to act responsibly, as noted in a statement by the Egypt’s presidency.
Blinken also met with Egyptian officials including Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and other officials.
In brief remarks, the U.S. top diplomat did not address events in Lebanon, but praised Egypt as a partner “for regional peace, regional stability, regional security,” including its role in Gaza ceasefire talks.
Blinken will head from Cairo to Paris on Thursday, for a meeting with the foreign ministers of France, Italy and Britain to discuss the Middle East and Ukraine and other issues, a State Department official said.
He will also meet French President, Emmanuel Macron, the official said.
Several months of talks with U.S., Egyptian and Qatari officials have not yielded the required result between Israel and Hamas.
The negotiations have focused on an outline that includes a pause in fighting and the release of hostages still being held by Hamas militants in Gaza.
The U.S. has not provided a timetable for the revised proposal, though, officials have indicated that it would be presented soon.
State Department Spokesperson, Matthew Miller told reporters Monday, “We continue to engage with our partners in the region, most specifically with Egypt and Qatar, about what that proposal will contain, and making sure or trying to see that it’s a proposal that can get the parties to an ultimate agreement.”
