Egypt's, US foreign ministers discuss regional tensions, efforts to end war in Gaza

By Ahmed Asmar

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his American counterpart, Antony Blinken, discussed Mideast regional tensions and efforts to end the war in the Gaza Strip on Friday.

Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid said Shoukry received a telephone call from Blinken and confirmed "constant Egypt-US consultations to contain the crisis in Gaza, end the war and sustain aid delivery."

Shoukry underlined the "risks of regional conflict expansion and unfolding consequences on security and safety of the peoples," in the conversation, said Abu Zeid.

The call comes amid the ongoing Israeli onslaught in Gaza and the Israeli threats to invade Rafah in southern Gaza, home to 1.4 million displaced Palestinians, as well as heightened tensions between Iran and Israel.

Iran has accused Israel of carrying out a deadly attack on its consulate in Syria and vowed to respond. Israel, however, has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack, but it has for months carried out strikes against Iranian targets across Syria.