Blinken to visit Egypt as US works on new Gaza proposal

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will address Gaza ceasefire efforts with Egyptian officials this week, the State Department said Monday, as he visits the key U.S. ally which has played an important role in truce talks.

Blinken "will meet with Egyptian officials to discuss ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza that secures the release of all hostages, alleviates the suffering of the Palestinian people, and helps establish broader regional security," spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

While months of mediated negotiations and shuttle diplomacy have failed to pin down a truce, Washington said it was still pushing all sides to finalize an agreement.

To bridge the remaining gaps, the United States is working "expeditiously" on a new proposal, according to Miller.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rejected U.S. assessments that the deal is nearly complete and has insisted on an Israeli military presence on the Egypt-Gaza border.

Mounting international and domestic pressure has failed to sway him to agree to a hostage release deal that has wide support from the Israeli public.