Blinken arrived in Egypt as part of the ongoing U.S. efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting in Gaza and free Israeli hostages held by Hamas continue. Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, has traveled to the Middle East for the eighth time since Hamas attacked Israel and the war in Gaza began.
On Monday, June 10th, Blinken arrived in Cairo as the first stop of his Middle East trip. According to informed sources, the U.S. Secretary of State is scheduled to meet and hold talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Leading a delegation of 40 people, Blinken will meet and hold discussions with officials from Israel, Jordan, and Qatar until Wednesday.
Ahead of Blinken’s trip to the Middle East, Hamas called on the U.S. to pressure Israel into a ceasefire.
According to Reuters, Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, urged Washington to exert pressure on Israel in this regard. He added that Hamas is willing to approach any initiative that leads to the end of the war positively.