US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with his Egyptian counterpart, Lieutenant General Mohamed Zaki, on Tuesday, to discuss efforts to enhance security in the Middle East, following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.

Austin expressed his appreciation for Egypt's work to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and the safe evacuation of American citizens from Gaza, according to the US Department of Defense (Pentagon).

The two ministers also discussed the importance of protecting civilians. Austin stressed his support for “Israel’s right to defend itself from terrorism, consistent with international humanitarian law, its focus on deterring state and non-state actors from escalating the conflict, and the readiness of the United States to defend itself from Iranian-sponsored attacks on American personnel.” According to the Pentagon.

In a separate post on the “X” platform, (formerly “Twitter”), Austin said that he confirmed during his call with the Egyptian Minister of Defense: “Our mutual support for the safety of civilians, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.”