Egypt: This is the Only Way to Reduce Escalation

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty expressed during his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken his hope that "the upcoming negotiations will witness a sincere Israeli desire to stop the war on the Gaza Strip." Abdel Aty confirmed that "this mentioned Israeli desire is the only way to put an end to the humanitarian suffering in Gaza, as well as to prevent the regional situation from spiraling out of control and escalating to a level that threatens the stability of the entire region and the safety of its peoples." He pointed out that "a ceasefire in Gaza is the only way to reduce escalation in the region." Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid stated that the meeting between the two ministers extensively discussed the developments in the Gaza crisis, and the Egyptian, Qatari, and American efforts to reach a ceasefire that facilitates the exchange of prisoners and detainees, halts the bloodshed of Palestinians in the Strip, and allows sufficient humanitarian aid to contain the ongoing humanitarian disaster. For his part, Minister Blinken expressed his agreement with Egypt's vision for a swift ceasefire in Gaza and his appreciation for Egypt's mediation efforts in this regard.