GAZA (National Times) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Egypt on Wednesday to discuss advancing efforts towards a Gaza ceasefire and to bolster bilateral relations with Cairo amidst rising Middle East tensions, Reuters reported.

His visit comes as the region faces heightened alert, especially after Hezbollah threatened retaliation against Israel for alleged explosions involving pagers across Lebanon on Tuesday.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller noted that it’s too early to determine if the Lebanese incident will impact ceasefire negotiations but emphasized that the US views diplomacy as crucial to easing tensions.

Blinken’s meetings with Egyptian officials will focus on formulating a proposal for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, including addressing issues related to the release of hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

This visit will be the first time Blinken has not included Israel in his itinerary since the conflict began nearly a year ago.