George Mitchell, the US special envoy to the Middle East, met with Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, on Saturday to discuss the ongoing political deadlock in the Middle East.

The meeting also tackled efforts to lift the Israeli siege imposed on Gaza since Hamas took control of the Strip.

Egypt was the latest stop for Mitchell on his current tour of the region.
 
On Friday, he met with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, in Ramallah.

The meeting came after what Israel described as a decision to ease the blockade - following an international outcry over the attack on a Gaza-bound flotilla that left nine people dead.

Both Abbas and Ismail Haniya, the deposed prime minister reiterated that the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip must be completely lifted.
 
But can those making this demand capitalise on unprecedented international pressure to achieve that end? And will more planned aid flotillas bound for Gaza help or hinder them in achieving their goal?

Inside Story, with presenter Mike Hanna, discusses with Sabri Saidam, an advisor to Mahmoud Abbas; Ephraim Sneh, a retired IDF general and the chairman of the S. Daniel Abraham Centre for Strategic Dialogue; and Rosemary Hollis, a Middle East specialist at London's City University.

This episode of Inside Story aired from Sunday, June 20, 2010.