Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and his accompanying delegation. The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, and Director of the General Intelligence Service, Major General Abbas Kamel.

Spokesman for the Presidency, Counselor Dr. Ahmed Fahmy, said Secretary of State Blinken conveyed American President Joe Biden’s greetings to President El-Sisi, emphasizing that the U.S. is committed to strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries, in order to reinforce efforts to maintain stability, peace, and development in the region.

The meeting focused on developments in unyielding efforts aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, exchanging detainees and providing access to needed relief aid to end the severe humanitarian catastrophe in the sector.

President El-Sisi reviewed Egypt’s tremendous efforts undertaken despite immense challenging conditions, spearheading the process of providing, coordinating and delivering critical humanitarian aid into Gaza, in coordination with UN and relief organizations. The President underscored the pivotal and indispensable role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) at this level. President El-Sisi reiterated the crucial importance of implementing international and UN resolutions relevant to the crisis and of taking earnest steps toward a just and comprehensive settlement to the Palestinian issue, that safeguards lasting stability in the region.

Secretary of State Blinken affirmed his country’s commitment to continuing coordination and joint efforts with Egypt to reach calm and spare the region from an expansion of the scope of the conflict. He lauded Egypt’s valued efforts in support of security and stability in the region.