Combined images of (From L to R) Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and US Senator Chris Van Hollen.
This came in a phone call with United States Senator from Maryland, Chris Van Hollen, a senior Democrat leader who has publicly condemned Israel’s blockade of Gaza, describing the situation in the strip as 'hell on earth."
During the call, FM Abdelatty urged the US to pressure the Israeli government to allow safe, sustainable aid access and to open all crossings into the strip.
He reiterated Egypt’s call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza to protect Palestinian civilians and ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid.
Abdelatty also underscored the importance of a political solution to the Palestinian cause, urging the creation of a political horizon to achieve a just and lasting settlement and restore the legitimate rights of Palestinians.
This, he added, includes the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the 4 June 1967 borders.
The foreign minister also expressed Egypt's desire to continue working with the US to achieve just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
The statement added that the phone call is part of ongoing communication between Egyptian officials and members of the US Congress.
Van Hollen, a member of the Senate's Foreign Relations and Appropriations Committees, praised Egypt's pivotal role in supporting regional stability and its efforts to secure a ceasefire and alleviate suffering in Gaza.
He affirmed his commitment to intensifying coordination and consultation with the Egyptian government, the statement added.
The call comes as Cairo hosts a Hamas delegation to discuss how to move forward in Gaza ceasefire talks, after the recent collapse of negotiations in Doha following the withdrawal of Israel and the US from talks.
Israel's two-year genocidal war in Gaza has killed at least 61,599 Palestinians and wounded more than 160,000, and destroyed most of the city's infrastructure, with famine unfolding in the strip as a result of an Israeli blockade that came into effect on 2 March.
Short link: