Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Cairo on Monday as the senior U.S. official kick-started his regional tour to push for a much-awaited Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Sisi and Blinken discussed "joint efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and exchange hostages and captives" and agreed to intensify their efforts during the current phase, according to a statement from the presidency.

The two sides also discussed Egyptian efforts to provide access to humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

"The president emphasized the importance of international cooperation to remove obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian aid, as well as the necessity to end the war in the region, prevent the escalation of conflict, and move forward with the implementation of the two-state solution," the statement said.

Egypt, the first Arab state to recognize Israel and sign a peace treaty with it in 1979, has, along with the U.S. and Qatar, been engaged in mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel that have repeatedly floundered.

(With input from agencies)