On Thursday, March 21, 2024, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his delegation. The meeting was attended by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Egyptian General Intelligence Service Director Major General Abbas Kamel.
Counsellor Dr. Ahmed Fahmy, the Presidency’s spokesman, stated that the US Secretary of State expressed to President El-Sisi US President Joe Biden’s congratulations and appreciation for Egypt’s critical role in achieving Middle Eastern peace and stability. President El-Sisi praised the strategic alliance between the two countries, as well as the ongoing collaboration on numerous regional and international challenges.
The meeting addressed the present situation in the Gaza Strip. The President and the US Secretary of State discussed the latest developments in collaborative mediation efforts aimed at establishing a cease-fire and exchanging captives.
The President emphasised the importance of an immediate ceasefire, stating that the Gaza Strip and its people are facing a humanitarian crisis and starvation, which endangers the lives of innocent civilians. The President warned of the dire repercussions of any military operation in the Palestinian city of Rafah, emphasising the importance of immediate action to allow adequate humanitarian aid into the region. The President also emphasised the importance of broadening the political horizons through intensive efforts to activate the two-state solution and establish an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
US Secretary of State Blinken praised Egypt’s efforts to promote calm, emphasising the US commitment to coordination and consultation in order to restore regional peace and security. The two parties agreed on the significance of maintaining cooperation efforts in this area, the need to take all necessary steps to guarantee that humanitarian aid reaches the Gaza Strip’s population, and the rejection of any type of displacement of Palestinians outside their territories.