Blinken meets with Egyptian president warning of expansion of Gaza war

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on Tuesday, warned that the conflict in Gaza could escalate regionally in ways that would be "difficult to imagine," according to a report by Anadolu Agency.

The discussions between Blinken and Al-Sisi focused on recent mediation efforts by Egypt, the U.S., and Qatar to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency. Blinken also provided President Al-Sisi with an update on his recent visit to Israel and reiterated the U.S. commitment to achieving a ceasefire.

For several months, the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt have been working to negotiate an agreement between Israel and Hamas that would involve a prisoner exchange, a ceasefire, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid into Gaza. However, these efforts have been hindered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands for a lasting ceasefire.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty expressed hope that the next round of ceasefire talks would witness a genuine Israeli political commitment to ending the Gaza conflict.

The ongoing Israeli military operations have led to over 40,170 Palestinian deaths, predominantly women and children, and more than 92,740 injuries, according to local health authorities.