U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi today in Cairo. Blinken and el-Sisi discussed negotiations between Israel and Hamas, focusing on efforts to broker the release of hostages being held by Hamas, and also discussed efforts to stop Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

A State Department press release stated that Blinken emphasized the U.S. commitment to establishing a Palestinian state, stating, “Secretary Blinken emphasized the United States’ rejection of any forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and commitment to establishing a Palestinian state that provides peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

Blinked stated on X, “I met with Egyptian President el-Sisi in Cairo to discuss our efforts to increase life-saving aid into Gaza and secure the release of all hostages. We also discussed shared regional stability objectives, including halting threats to Red Sea security by the Houthis.”