Griffith says US coordinating with Egypt to deliver aid to Gaza

CAIRO – 27 May 2021: Spokeswoman for the US State Department Geraldine Griffith on Wednesday said the US is coordinating with Egypt to provide assistance to the Gaza Strip, in the wake of violence that killed more than 250 Palestinians and left thousands homeless.

Griffith’s remarks come shortly after Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, met with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo on Wednesday.

Her remarks also come days after the Egyptian president received two phone calls from his US counterpart, Joe Biden, in less than a week to discuss the developments in Gaza.

Blinken’s visit comes as part of a Middle East tour he has embarked on to consolidate the ceasefire in Gaza, brokered by Egypt to end 11 days of Israeli hostilities against the strip.

Griffith, in her remarks to Ala Mas’oliety TV program on Sada El-Balad, affirmed that the US allocated $360 million for the Palestinian people.

Griffith said the US administration led by Biden believes in the two-state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

She affirmed the need for a comprehensive and fair solution to the Palestinian cause that brings peace to the Palestinians and Israelis.

Griffith said the US, however, now focuses on delivering the aid to the Palestinian people.

The spokeswoman hailed the Egyptian role in reaching ceasefire in Gaza, affirming that Egypt and the US share strong historic relations.

Concerning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute between Egypt and Sudan on one side and Ethiopia on the other side, Griffith affirmed the need for a political settlement among the three countries.

The US envoy seeks to find a consensus among the three countries to resolve the GERD crisis, Griffith said, affirming the need for a diplomatic solution in this regard.

On Friday, Israel and the Gaza factions started a ceasefire proposed by Egypt after Israeli airstrikes and artillery fire killed 254 Palestinian people, including women and children.

The Gaza factions also fired rockets at Israeli lands in retaliation for the Israeli assaults against Palestinians in Jerusalem.

Sisi and Blinken, during their Wednesday meeting, tackled the updates on the Palestinian cause and ways of reviving the peace process.

The president said recent developments mandate urgent activation of direct negotiations between both sides backed by an effective involvement of the United States.

Sisi added that Egypt is eager to cooperate with the United States on that matter asserting that the solution must be fair and comprehensive so it would preserve the rights of the Palestinian people in accordance with international references.

Both sides agreed on bolstering coordination and consultation on stabilizing the ceasefire and launching reconstruction in Gaza Strip.

They discussed other regional issues, including the situation in Libya and the role of the US to resolve the GERD dispute between Egypt and Sudan on one side and Ethiopia on the other side.