El-Sisi and Blinken exchanged views on the results of the latest negotiations, held last week in the Qatari capital, Doha, and on ways to achieve progress CAIRO: President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, underlining the robust strategic partnership between their two nations. Their discussions also reaffirmed a commitment to advancing joint efforts to restore security and stability in the region. The two sides reviewed the Egyptian-American-Qatari mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and bring about an exchange of hostages. El-Sisi and Blinken exchanged views on the results of the latest negotiations, held last week in the Qatari capital, Doha, and on ways to achieve progress. Blinken briefed El-Sisi on the outcome of his visit to Israel, stressing the US commitment to calming the situation and reaching an agreement. He expressed huge appreciation for Egypt’s role and constructive efforts. El-Sisi emphasized that it was time to end the ongoing war, resort to the voice of reason and wisdom, and uphold the language of peace and diplomacy. He warned of the dangers of the conflict expanding regionally and confirmed that saving lives should be a major driving force for all parties. A ceasefire in Gaza must be the beginning of broader international recognition of an independent Palestinian state and the enforcement of the two-state solution, he said, adding this would be the fundamental guarantor for stability in the region. The meeting was also attended by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Director of the General Intelligence Service, Major General Abbas Kamel, as well as US Ambassador Herro Mustafa Garg. The war in Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas gunmen stormed into Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and abducting about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 40,000 people since October according to Palestinian health authorities, and of the remaining hostages being held there. On Tuesday, Israel’s military said it had recovered the bodies of six hostages from southern Gaza. According to Israeli authorities, 109 hostages now remain in the Palestinian territory, of whom around a third are believed to be dead. In Gaza, Israeli forces battled Hamas-led militants in central and southern areas, and Palestinian health authorities said at least 21 people had been killed early on Tuesday in Israeli strikes, including on a school housing displaced people. Israel’s military said it had struck Hamas militants embedded in the school. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said on Tuesday it was still waiting for polio vaccines to arrive after the disease was discovered in the territory, where most people now live in tents or shelters without proper sanitation. It echoed a call by the UN last week for a ceasefire to allow the vaccination campaign.