The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is set to visit Cairo to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi after his recent meeting with the Saudi crown prince in Riyadh. This comes amid reports of increased Israeli strikes on the southern city of Rafah, which was previously considered a ‘safe’ zone.
In a separate incident, six US-backed Kurdish fighters were killed in a drone strike on a base in Syria, raising concerns about the escalating tensions in the region. Meanwhile, the French diplomat is reviewing UNRWA after claims of staff involvement in a Hamas attack.
Blinken’s visit to the Middle East is part of ongoing efforts to address the crisis in the region. He is expected to visit Israel, Egypt, and Qatar, with a focus on promoting a ceasefire proposal and providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, which has been devastated by months of bombardment.
Amidst the ongoing conflict, the Israeli military has reported killing “dozens of terrorists” in Gaza, while Palestinian news agencies have documented continued bombardment in various areas. Additionally, there have been reports of Israeli forces detaining hospital staff and the tragic death of a 14-year-old Palestinian child.
As the situation in the region remains dire, Spain has pledged additional aid to the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA to address the funding shortfall caused by the suspension of donations from major donors.
2024-02-06 01:25:18
Link from www.theguardian.com