By Jerald Jimenez
06 Feb 2024, 12:02 PM EST
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and other Egyptian leaders in Cairo, with the main goal of achieving a lasting ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The US official also expressed concern about the humanitarian situation of Palestinians displaced by the Israeli offensive, which has forced more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to take refuge in Rafah, a city bordering Egypt.
However, Egypt warned that any attempt by Israel to expand the fighting to the border area would put regional stability and Egyptian national security at risk. Likewise, the country indicated that it will not allow Palestinians to cross the border, but that it is willing to send humanitarian and medical aid to Gaza.
Blinken welcomed Egypt’s role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, along with Qatar, which has good relations with both sides. The official is expected to travel to Doha later Tuesday to meet with Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, to plan the possible release of Israeli and Palestinian hostages including a truce.
Likewise, Blinken will seek to promote the normalization of the bilateral relationship between Israel and Saudi Arabia, Iran’s main rival in the region, and hopes that there will be greater cooperation between both nations to contain the influence of Iran and its militant allies, which They have threatened to intensify attacks against Israel and the United States.
Blinken, who will end his trip on Wednesday, will brief Netanyahu and other US officials on his talks with Arab leaders, urging them to agree to a permanent ceasefire and resume peace negotiations with the Palestinians.
With information from the Associated Press