Antony Blinken travels to Egypt to negotiate Gaza truce, hostage release

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Egypt this week for the US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue, focusing on brokering a Gaza cease-fire and securing a hostage release agreement.

Blinken’s 10th Middle East visit since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel aims to “strengthen the bilateral relationship and deepen economic development,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

“In addition to co-chairing the strategic dialogue, the Secretary will meet with Egyptian officials to discuss ongoing efforts to reach a cease-fire in Gaza that secures the release of all hostages, alleviates the suffering of the Palestinian people, and helps establish broader regional security,” he added.

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Blinken and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty will co-chair the dialogue’s opening session. The US, Egypt, and Qatar are working to secure a cease-fire and prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas, building on Israel’s proposed three-phase deal.

The plan includes a cease-fire, hostage-prisoner exchange, Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, increased aid, and a long-term end to violence. However, differences over the prisoner exchange have posed obstacles, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reluctant to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor.

US officials report that 90% of the cease-fire and hostage deal terms have been agreed upon, but Netanyahu disputes the claim.

Israel continues to pound Gaza since the October 7 attack last year by Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of 1,139 people and the capture of around 250 hostages.

So far, the Gaza conflict has resulted in the killings of over 41,000 Palestinians and nearly 94,400 injuries since Israel’s military offensive began.