US Secretary of State Anthony Blinkin arrives in Egypt on Monday,June 10. There, he is expected to meet with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss a US proposal for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. This is reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.
Details
Blinkin will reportedly first meet with senior officials in Egypt, who, together with officials Qatar, are helping mediate between Israel and Hamas. Blinkin will then travel to Israel, where he is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
This visit will be Blinken's eighth trip to the Middle East since the outbreak of the Gaza war.
The trip, part of an ongoing "shuttle diplomacy" by the Biden administration's chief envoy, comes after Israel released four hostages held for about eight months during a large-scale Israeli operation.
Addition
The United States said that the new proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza is "decisive". It involves three stages. The first phase involves a temporary cessation of hostilities and the release of some Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The second stage is the final cessation of hostilities and the release of all remaining hostages, including captured soldiers, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the coastal enclave.
In the third phase, the reconstruction of Gaza will begin, much of which has been reduced to rubble as a result of Israeli airstrikes, shelling and other military operations.