U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returned to the Middle East this week as a proposed Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal hangs in the balance after the dramatic rescue of four Israeli hostages held in Gaza in a major military raid and political bickering in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Government. From Israel, Mr Blinken made a stop in Egypt.

With no firm response yet from Hamas to the proposal received 10 days ago, Blinken will start his eighth diplomatic mission to the region since the conflict began in October. He is meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo before travelling to Israel, Jordan and Qatar.

While some U.S. officials have praised the hostage rescue, the operation resulted in the deaths of a large number of Palestinian civilians that may complicate the cease-fire push by emboldening Israel and hardening Hamas’ resolve to carry on fighting in the war it initiated with its October 7th attacks in Israel.