Egyptian president, Blinken confer over mediation efforts to reach ceasefire in Gaza

CAIRO – 20 August 2024: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met Tuesday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New Alamain to confer over Egyptian-American-Qatari mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and exchange detainees.

President El-Sisi and Mr. Blinken exchanged views on the results of the latest negotiations, which were held last week in the Qatari capital, Doha, and on ways to achieve progress in the ongoing negations in Cairo.

Secretary Blinken briefed President El-Sisi on the outcome of his visit to Israel, stressing the U.S.’ commitment to efforts toward calming the situation and reaching an agreement. He expressed huge appreciation for Egypt's role and constructive efforts in this regard.

President El-Sisi emphasized that the time has come to end the ongoing war, resort to the voice of reason and wisdom, and uphold the language of peace and diplomacy.

The president warned against the grave danger of the conflict expanding regionally, with potentially catastrophic consequences. He stressed that sparing the blood of the peoples should be the major driving force for all parties and that a ceasefire in Gaza must be the beginning of broader international recognition of an independent Palestinian State, given that the two-state solution would be a fundamental guarantor for stability in the region.

The meeting was also attended by Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Director of the General Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel, and U.S. Ambassador to Cairo Herro Mustafa Garg.