Cairo: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called Sunday for Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and reopening the Rafah border crossing under last year's ceasefire deal. The call was made during Abdelatty's meeting in Cairo with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.
According to Anadolu Agency, the two diplomats reviewed ways to strengthen the strategic partnership between Egypt and the US, and means of developing bilateral relations in political and economic fields, as stated by the Foreign Ministry. The discussions also covered developments in Gaza, Sudan, the Horn of Africa region, and Egypt's water security.
Abdelatty expressed satisfaction with Egypt's inclusion in US President Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace.' This board is an international organization aimed at promoting stability, re-establishing good governance and the rule of law, and ensuring lasting peace in conflict-affected or threatened areas, according to its charter.
Furthermore, Abdelatty highlighted the importance of implementing the obligations of the second phase of Trump's plan on Gaza. This includes supporting a national committee tasked with running Gaza and the rapid deployment of an international stabilization force to monitor the ceasefire. He underscored the need to reopen the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt in both directions and achieve Israel's withdrawal from Gaza to facilitate early recovery and reconstruction, as mentioned in the statement.
On the same day, Israel's Army Radio reported that Washington had reached an understanding with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the reopening of the Rafah crossing, a crucial route for aid delivery into Gaza. The Israeli news website Walla indicated that the crossing is set to open later this week.
The ceasefire plan halted Israel's two-year conflict on Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 71,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023.