Cairo, August 02 (QNA) -  Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein spoke by phone on Sunday to discuss the evolving situation in the Middle East.

In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said both sides addressed the evolving situation in the Palestinian territories, with Abdelatty stressing the importance of building on the gains of the first phase of the US President's plan on Gaza, thereby helping ensure the full access of humanitarian aid and creating conditions for the transition to the next phase.

Meanwhile, Abdelatty discussed regional de-escalation efforts in a telephone conversation with US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. He underlined that it is paramount to continue joint work to avoid the cycle of tensions metastasizing across the region.

Abdelatty further emphasized that political and diplomatic solutions should be prioritized as the off-ramp to achieve security and stability. He pointed out that what matters most is to ramp up regional and international efforts to contain the ongoing crisis in the region.

Placation pathways should be supported, he underscored, so as to create the appropriate conditions for resuming dialogue, addressing the root causes of crises, and safeguarding the interests of the peoples of the region, as well as their security and stability. (QNA)