U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in Cairo on Thursday for talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about the ramifications of the Gaza conflict, marking the final stop on his regional tour aimed at averting a broader war.
Earlier, Blinken stated that he is exploring ways with Doha and Cairo to broker a deal between the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel, particularly following their efforts to reach a temporary ceasefire in Gaza on November 24th, which lasted a week.
Before visiting Israel, Blinken toured several countries in the region, including Qatar, Turkey, Greece, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, and met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank.
The U.S. Secretary of State discussed with Abbas the importance of reforming the Palestinian Authority's policies and governance so it can effectively assume its responsibilities in Gaza.
At the conclusion of his talks in Tel Aviv last Tuesday, Blinken announced an agreement with Israel to send a United Nations mission to northern Gaza to assess conditions regarding the return of displaced persons, asserting that Washington wants the war to end as soon as possible.
Blinken also affirmed to Israel that it is impossible to eliminate the Hamas movement but emphasized the necessity for Israel to achieve its war objective of preventing the recurrence of events like those on October 7th.
Throughout his visit to the region, Blinken emphasized that the United States' focus is geared towards steps for a "sustainable, peaceful, and secure" future for everyone, underscoring the need to "avoid a larger conflict."
He pointed out the necessity for the establishment of a Palestinian state and stressed his country's "rejection" of the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank. However, Israeli officials opposed Blinken's demands, especially regarding changes to the conduct of the war in Gaza and the transfer of tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority.
Blinken's visit to the region came in the wake of regional tensions following the assassination of Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut by Israel and two explosions in Iran, with Israel being accused of involvement, though it has not officially acknowledged the actions.
