Sahin Demir and Emre Demiral
23 July 2026•Update: 23 July 2026
Egypt urged the US on Thursday to accelerate the deployment of the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in the Gaza Strip, ensure the full delivery of humanitarian aid and complete the remaining commitments under the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan.
The call came during a meeting between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, the Philippines, according to a statement from Egypt’s Foreign Ministry.
Abdelatty stressed the need to promptly launch the Palestinian committee tasked with administering Gaza and halt Israeli violations in the occupied West Bank to help contain tensions and restore regional stability.
The meeting coincided with reports by Israel’s public broadcaster KAN that about 30 Moroccan officers had conducted a field visit to Gaza as part of preparations for Morocco’s participation in the ISF.
Morocco announced on July 15 that it would contribute officers, police and gendarmerie personnel and establish a field hospital in the enclave.
The UN Security Council approved the temporary international force in November 2025 under Resolution 2803, endorsing Trump’s plan for ending the Israeli war, which has killed more than 73,000 people, and managing Gaza’s transitional period. Israel, however, has yet to give final approval for the force’s deployment, according to KAN.
On Iran, Abdelatty and Rubio exchanged views on regional developments and efforts to de-escalate tensions, reaffirming the importance of adhering to the memorandum of understanding signed between Washington and Tehran last month, the Egyptian statement said.
The two diplomats also discussed ways to resume US-Iran negotiations and reach a final agreement.
They further discussed developments in the Horn of Africa, with Abdelatty emphasizing respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of regional states and rejecting measures that could undermine regional stability.
The officials also reviewed water security issues, with Egypt reiterating its call for compliance with international law governing transboundary water resources and rejecting unilateral measures, while reaffirming their commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership between Cairo and Washington.
