U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken begins a new Middle East tour on Monday to promote a ceasefire proposal in the Gaza Strip, amidst Hamas's silence on this issue and political unrest in Israel, which makes the chances of success uncertain. This marks Blinken’s eighth visit to the region since the conflict began on October 7, starting in Egypt and then proceeding to Israel later on Monday.
The purpose of this visit is to advocate for a ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hamas, revealed by President Joe Biden on May 31. Biden is intensifying efforts to halt the war, which has resulted in significant civilian casualties and threatens to deter a large portion of voters from supporting him in the upcoming presidential election.
In Cairo, Blinken will engage in discussions with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi regarding solutions that will allow for the reopening of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, which has been closed for a month. The Israeli army has taken control of the Palestinian side of the crossing, accusing Egypt of being responsible for its closure. In response, Egypt stated that truck drivers delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza do not feel safe crossing Israeli checkpoints.
During his Middle East tour, Blinken will also visit Jordan and Qatar before moving on to Italy to participate in the G7 summit on Wednesday.
