U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdel Aty on Tuesday to discuss developments in Gaza, efforts to de-escalate tensions, and “preventing” Hamas from ruling the territory.

During the call, Rubio expressed appreciation for Egypt’s mediation role and praised its efforts in securing hostage releases, achieving a ceasefire, and ensuring the continued flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The U.S. secretary stressed the need to hold Hamas accountable.

While highlighting close U.S.-Egypt cooperation on post-conflict plans, he stated that the main goal is to ensure Hamas cannot govern Gaza or pose a future threat to Israel.

The call is part of U.S. diplomatic efforts with regional partners to promote stability and support humanitarian initiatives amid the current situation in Gaza.