U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Egypt on Wednesday, aiming to advance efforts for a ceasefire deal in Gaza and enhance bilateral relations with Cairo amid rising Middle East tensions. The visit comes as concerns grow about the potential expansion of the Gaza conflict, especially following a deadly incident in Lebanon involving Hezbollah.
On Tuesday, Hezbollah accused Israel of detonating explosives across Lebanon, resulting in at least nine deaths and nearly 3,000 injuries. Israel has not commented on the explosions. The U.S. State Department, represented by spokesperson Matthew Miller, stated it is too early to determine if the incident will impact ceasefire negotiations but reaffirmed the belief in diplomacy as the path to reducing tensions.
During his meetings with Egyptian officials, Blinken is expected to focus on securing a proposal for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The U.S. is working on a new proposal, which includes the release of hostages taken by Hamas in October 2023. Miller noted that Blinken’s visit aims to discuss this proposal with Egyptian leaders, as it is still under development and not yet ready to be presented to Israel.
Blinken will not visit Israel on this trip, marking a departure from his previous practice of including Israel in his regional visits since the conflict began. The decision reflects the current focus on bilateral issues with Egypt and the ongoing development of the ceasefire proposal.
Egypt, along with Qatar, has played a crucial role in U.S.-led efforts to mediate between Hamas and Israel, facilitating humanitarian aid to Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. Despite criticisms regarding human rights abuses under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government, the U.S. has recently waived human rights conditions on military aid to Egypt, providing the full $1.3 billion in foreign military financing.
Seth Binder, Director of Advocacy at the Middle East Democracy Center, criticized the Biden administration’s shift, suggesting it has abandoned its commitment to human rights in favor of strengthening ties with Cairo.