U.S Secretary general, Antony Blinken has landed in Cairo, to hold talks focused on efforts to secure a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, gain release of hostages held in Gaza and move more humanitarian aid into Gaza to help Palestinian civilians who are badly in need of assistance.
Blinken’s schedule includes separate meetings with Egyptian officials, and with representatives from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as multiple countries remain involved in weeks of talks trying to come up with a proposal acceptable to both Israel and the Hamas militant group.
According to a statement from the U.S. State Department, Blinken will head to Israel on Friday, to brief the leaders on the outcome of his discussion and a need to ensure the defeat of Hamas, including in Rafah, in a way that protects the civilian population.
Back home, nearly 70 former U.S. officials, diplomats and military officers had urged President Joe Biden to warn Israel of serious consequences if it denies civil rights and basic necessities to Palestinians and expands settlement activity in the occupied West Bank.
