Skip to main content

Blinken to meet Egypt's Sisi on Gaza hostage deal

1 min Mena Today

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday landed in Cairo for his meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi as the United States works to advance a Gaza truce and hostage deal mediated by the Egyptians and Qataris.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is welcomed by Sarah Henry, Second Secretary at the Protocol Department of Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs protocol, upon his arrival at Cairo Airport, in Cairo, February 6, 2024. Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via Reuters

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is welcomed by Sarah Henry, Second Secretary at the Protocol Department of Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs protocol, upon his arrival at Cairo Airport, in Cairo, February 6, 2024. Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via Reuters

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday landed in Cairo for his meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi as the United States works to advance a Gaza truce and hostage deal mediated by the Egyptians and Qataris.

The top U.S. diplomat departed Riyadh shortly after sunrise for what is set to be a marathon day visiting Egypt and Qatar before flying to Israel to discuss hostage negotiations, post-war Gaza plans and the prospect of Arab countries and Israel normalizing ties.

Blinken's fifth trip to the region since October comes as the United States presses ahead with its retaliatory campaign against Iran-aligned militia which had attacked last month and killed U.S. troops in a military outpost in Jordan.

Washington sees a possible truce to free remaining hostages Hamas kidnapped on Oct. 7 and pause fighting in Gaza as key to progress on other challenges, such as the governance of post-war Gaza, a path towards Palestinian statehood and a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalize their relationship.

Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk

Tags

Related

Israel

ICC vs. Israel: A politicized assault on sovereignty and integrity

On April 24, 2025, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) unanimously directed the Pre-Trial Chamber to reconsider Israel’s challenge to the court’s jurisdiction over alleged war crimes committed by Israeli officials in Gaza and the West Bank. 

Gaza

UNRWA’s role in perpetuating terror and conflict: A legal reckoning

In a pivotal legal development, the U.S. Department of Justice has stripped the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) of its immunity, clearing the way for a high-profile lawsuit filed by the families of victims of the October 7 terror attack. 

Egypt

Djibouti endorses Egypt’s UNESCO candidate

Djibouti has officially endorsed Khaled El-Enany, Egypt’s candidate for Director-General of UNESCO, during a meeting between Presidents Abdelfattah Al-Sissi and Ismaïl Omar Guelleh. 

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.