As he concludes his Middle East visit, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Thursday to discuss the continued Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip.
During the talks, Sisi updated Blinken with “the Egyptian efforts to communicate with all parties to reach an immediate ceasefire in Gaza,” as well as to ensure sufficient flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave, said the Egyptian presidency in a statement.
According to the statement, the Egyptian president emphasized the need for a just and complete settlement of the Palestinian issue as well as the need to put an end to “the humanitarian plight in Gaza.”
While Sisi emphasized Egypt’s eagerness to continue coordinating with the United States to ensure regional security and stability, the top U.S. diplomat acknowledged Washington’s appreciation for Cairo’s efforts to solidify peace and stability in the region.
Sisi and Blinken also “affirmed their categorical rejection of the principle or attempts to displace Palestinians from their lands, and their commitment to the two-state solution as the basis for achieving stability in the region,” said the Egyptian presidency.
In order to control the situation and stop the disagreement from getting worse, the two parties decided to continue having in-depth discussions and work toward a settlement.
Since Israel began its enormous military assault against Gaza on October 7, 2023, in response to a surprise attack on southern Israel by Hamas, Blinken has made four trips around the Middle East.
Turkey, Greece, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank, Bahrain, and Egypt were the destinations he saw during his first week of the regional tour.
