Cairo: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed cease-fire efforts in Gaza and Lebanon as well as the crisis in Sudan in a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The top diplomats addressed efforts to secure an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and improve the humanitarian conditions in the enclave.
According to Anadolu Agency, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s condemnation of Israel’s actions that impede humanitarian aid and block the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) from fulfilling its mission. He emphasized the importance of empowering the Palestinian Authority and treating the West Bank and Gaza as a unified Palestinian territory, with the goal of ending the occupation and establishing a Palestinian state.
The officials also discussed political and field developments in Lebanon. Abdelatty stressed the need for international efforts to secure an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon, calm tensions, fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and provide humanitarian aid in res
ponse to Lebanon’s severe crisis. Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006, calls for a cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel and the establishment of a demilitarized zone in southern Lebanon.
Abdelatty condemned Israel’s incursions into Lebanese territory and its targeting of UNIFIL, in violation of Lebanese sovereignty and international law. Regarding Lebanon’s internal issues, he discussed Egypt’s efforts to resolve the presidential vacancy, underscoring the importance of electing a president without external influence. Since September 2022, Lebanon’s parliament has failed 12 times to elect a head of state.
The conversation also touched on the deteriorating situation in Sudan and ongoing efforts to secure a cease-fire and ensure humanitarian access. Abdelatty stressed the importance of maintaining Sudanese state institutions, supporting Sudan’s territorial integrity, and increasing humanitarian aid. Since mid-April 2023, fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (
RSF) has resulted in over 20,000 deaths and displaced more than 11 million people, according to the UN. International calls are increasing for an end to the conflict, which has led to severe food shortages across 13 of Sudan’s 18 states.