Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdel Aaty held a phone conversation on Wednesday with U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to address escalating crises in the region. The call took place while Abdel Aaty was in Washington, D.C., and ahead of Witkoff’s planned visit to the Middle East.
The two officials discussed the intensifying international efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza, amid worsening humanitarian conditions and continued Israeli military operations. The conversation focused on the critical need to ensure the unconditional delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged territory, as well as the release of hostages and detainees on both sides.
According to sources familiar with the call, Abdel Aaty and Witkoff exchanged views on how the three guarantor states Egypt, the United States, and Qatar can coordinate more effectively to increase pressure on all parties and expedite a ceasefire agreement. The Egyptian minister detailed the severe humanitarian toll of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, citing widespread destruction, food shortages, and what he described as the systematic use of starvation as a weapon by Israeli forces.
Egypt has consistently called for the protection of civilians and an end to collective punishment in the Palestinian enclave. Cairo, which has historically played a mediating role in Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, is also actively involved in facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid through the Rafah border crossing.
In addition to the situation in Gaza, the call touched on broader regional concerns, including the stalled negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. Abdel Aaty reviewed Egypt’s diplomatic efforts to revive dialogue between Iran and the United States, as well as between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Egypt has long supported a diplomatic resolution to the Iranian nuclear file and advocates for a balanced approach that ensures regional stability while preventing nuclear proliferation.
The call underscored Cairo’s role as a central diplomatic actor in a region facing multiple, overlapping crises. Both sides emphasized the importance of sustained coordination and high-level engagement to address urgent security and humanitarian challenges in the Middle East.
