Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken engaged in a conversation with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty to address diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing regional tensions. According to Spokesperson Matthew Miller, Secretary Blinken highlighted the need for humanitarian assistance to reach vulnerable civilians in Gaza. He emphasized the significance of implementing humanitarian pauses to facilitate better aid movement and distribution.
The discussion also covered establishing a framework for governance, security, and reconstruction in the post-conflict period. Secretary Blinken expressed gratitude towards Egypt for hosting a conference on the humanitarian response in Gaza earlier this week and acknowledged Egypt's ongoing role in expanding humanitarian access and working towards ending the conflict in Sudan.
Regarding Syria, Secretary Blinken advocated for de-escalation, protection of civilians and minority groups, and urged a return to a political process aligned with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 to resolve the conflict permanently.
