U.N.’s Ban Visits Egypt Over Regional Issues

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will arrive in Egypt on Monday for talks with the Egyptian president and other officials, the foreign ministry reported on Sunday.

Egypt has been working to reinstate a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants after one it brokered in October collapsed.

President Mohamed Morsi said on Saturday there were “some indications” a deal could come soon but added he did not have guarantees.

The foreign ministry statement did not give details about Ban’s planned discussions, only saying he would talk about regional issues. He is scheduled to meet Morsi on Tuesday before leaving Egypt.

Israel launched a massive air campaign on Wednesday with the declared goal of deterring Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that runs the Gaza Strip, from launching rockets that have plagued its southern communities for years.

Israel bombed Palestinian militant targets in the Gaza Strip from air and sea for a fifth straight day on Sunday, preparing for a possible ground invasion while also spelling out its conditions for a truce.

Reuters