Blinken's remarks came during his meeting with President El-Sisi on the first leg of his three-day Middle East trip at Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in Cairo where they discussed a host of regional and international issues as well as bilateral relations.

The Egyptian president welcomed the US secretary and conveyed his greetings to President Joe Biden confirming the strategic bilateral relations between the two countries with wishes to strengthen coordination and negotiation in political, regional and security issues, the presidential spokesmen Bassam Rady said.

The meeting was attended by the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry.

The presidential spokesperson added that the two sides discussed the most recent developments in the Palestinian territories.

They reviewed joint efforts as well as ongoing Egyptian efforts to contain the growing tensions in the territories in the past few days, according to Rady.

El-Sisi stated to Blinken that the latest developments confirmed the importance of immediate responses and work in both the political and security track to calm the situation.

The Egyptian president also stressed the need for both sides to refrain from unilateral measures.

The Egyptian president underlined to the US Secretary of State Egypt's constant stance on the need to reach a comprehensive and fair solution that guarantees the rights of the Palestinian people according to international standards in a manner that solves the conflict to allow peace, stability, cooperation and growth.

The two sides also discussed the recent developments in the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Rady added.

The Egyptian president reaffirmed Egypt’s firm stance that it is crucial for a legally binding solution to be reached with regards to the filling and the operating of the dam, in a way that achieves mutual benefits and safeguards the water and developmental rights of all parties.

El-Sisi stressed to Blinken the importance of the US playing an effective role in resolving the crisis.

Blinken had arrived in Cairo on Sunday and held a conversation with a group of youth at the American University in Cairo (AUC) in the evening.

He is scheduled to leave for Israel later on Monday to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before traveling to Ramallah to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.