Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesperson and Director of Public Diplomacy at Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held phone conversations on Sunday with his counterparts from Iran and Israel.
These discussions followed a significant military escalation marked by the launch of offensive Iranian drones against Israeli targets.
Minister Shoukry expressed Egypt’s profound concern over the ongoing unprecedented escalation between Iran and Israel, which threatens to spiral out of control and jeopardize regional stability and the interests of its peoples.
The Egyptian spokesperson detailed that Minister Shoukry urged his Iranian and Israeli counterparts to exercise maximum restraint and avoid brinkmanship and provocative actions that could further destabilize the Middle East.
Minister Shoukry conveyed Egypt’s readiness to intensify its efforts, in cooperation with its partners, to defuse the current crisis, especially given its coincidence with the ongoing Gaza crisis, the daily suffering of the Palestinian people, and escalating tensions in various hotspots across the region. He called for rational and prudent actions to allow diplomatic efforts to find solutions that maintain the stability and safety of the Middle East and its peoples.
In his conversation with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Shoukry reiterated Egypt’s firm stance demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid, and opposing any actions that would displace Palestinians from their lands, including ground military operations in the Palestinian city of Rafah.
Since the beginning of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023, Egypt has taken an active diplomatic role, trying to mediate peace and manage the humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry have been at the forefront of these efforts, advocating for ceasefires, facilitating humanitarian aid, and engaging in international diplomacy to seek a resolution to the escalating violence.
President el-Sisi’s approach has been marked by a dual discourse. On the one hand, he has reiterated Egypt’s commitment to peace and humanitarian efforts, emphasizing the need to protect civilians and facilitate aid. On the other hand, he has shown concern about the prospect of Gaza’s Palestinians being displaced into Egypt, a scenario he has vehemently opposed, viewing it as a threat to national security.
