President Sisi, Biden discussed protection of civilians, delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza

CAIRO – 16 October 2023: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a phone call from US President Joe Biden, tackling regional situation and the military escalation between the Palestinians and Israelis.

Sisi and Biden said that the situation is critical and it is necessary to contain it in a way that prevents the expansion of violence and threats to regional security and stability, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

Sisi and Biden have agreed protecting civilians and delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip are priority, discussing the ongoing talks on these matters in coordination with the UN.

President Sisi and Biden also discussed the efforts exerted to revive the peace process, besides keeping on the consultation and coordination over the ongoing crisis during the coming period.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, on Sunday. During the meeting, the two sides underscored commitment to strengthening and deepening the longstanding strategic partnership between Egypt and the United States of America, confirming that it represents a cornerstone for maintaining security and stability in the Middle East region. President El-Sisi and U.S. Secretary of State Blinken also discussed developments in the region and the military escalation in the Gaza Strip.

Also, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a phone call from Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, discussing ways to contain the ongoing escalation

The call tackled the current regional situation and the military operations in the Gaza Strip. President El-Sisi and Italy’s Prime Minister Meloni agreed on the need to strengthen regional and international efforts to prevent the expansion of the escalation and a further complication of the security and humanitarian situations.

President El-Sisi also reviewed the outcome of Egypt’s contacts at the regional and international levels, in order to advance efforts toward calm and provide a safe and urgent access to humanitarian aid and relief to the people in the Gaza Strip. The President reiterated Egypt’s position of rejecting the policies of collective punishment, siege and displacement, emphasizing the necessity for the voice of reason and wisdom to prevail and for reviving the track of the peace process.

Meanwhile, President Sisi received a phone call from Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau on Monday, discussing the ongoing military escalation between Palestine and Israel.

The phone call focused on the current situation in the region and the latest developments in the military escalation in the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian Presidency in statement.

The President and the Canadian Prime Minister also discussed Egypt’s efforts on both the political track to contain the crisis, prevent its expansion and defuse the violence, as well as the humanitarian track to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and relief to the people in the Gaza Strip, in light of the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Strip.

President Sisi spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, affirming the need to prioritize the protection of civilians in Gaza and the prevention of targeting them.

In a phone call, Sisi and Putin highlighted the gravity of the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip and the necessity of providing safe access to humanitarian and relief aid urgently.

Sisi and Putin reviewed diplomatic efforts underway to contain the situation and prevent the expansion of the violence and conflict, which jeopardizes security and stability in the region.

Hamas' Qassam Brigades launched on October 7 an offensive on Israeli settlements in the occupied lands by firing 5,000 missiles in 20 minutes, invoking airstrikes on Gaza that incurred scores of casualties and have not ceased until present.

Hamas fighters launched their military operation to end to the suffering of the Palestinians under the Israeli siege in the Gaza Strip and stop the intensive provocative actions by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

In the latest death toll announced by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, nearly 2.808, people have been killed, other 10.950 were injured as a result of the Israeli aggression on Gaza.

Israel announced that the number of deaths reached 1,300 Israelis and more than 3,400 others were injured.