WASHINGTON – Sen.John Hoeven, R-ND, a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, this week joined a bipartisan national security congressional delegation in Egypt to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and President Nikos Christodoulides in Cyprus to build regional support for Israel and to underscore the importance of defeating Hamas.

“With the national security challenges around the globe, this national security CODEL was about building and strengthening alliances with key U.S. partners,” Hoeven said. “As one of the largest and most influential countries in the Middle East, Egypt needs to work closely with Israel and the U.S. to defeat Hamas, a terrorist organization that is using Gazans as human shields. The sooner Israel is able to defeat Hamas the better, so we can limit the number of casualties and stop this terrorist organization once and for all. Good communication and coordination with Israel is more important than ever, to ensure that tensions on the ground do not escalate into more violence. We also encouraged Egypt to play a larger role in planning for the post-war governance of Gaza. At the same time, Cyprus is an important military partner for the U.S, allowing our Armed Forces an important maritime base in the region.”

Hoeven stressed the importance of Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza, in preserving the historic Egypt-Israel peace agreement, working with Israel to stabilize the region and taking responsible steps to help the Palestinians by accepting refugees.

In Cyprus, Hoeven reiterated the importance of the nation allowing U.S. Armed Forces to move out of ports in Cyprus.

The senators met with U.S. military personnel stationed in Larnaca to support the Cyprus Maritime Corridor. Larnaca is a military barracks that functions as a base for U.S. Armed Forces in the Eastern Mediterranean, bolstering the U.S. Navy’s ability to support Israel in its fight against Hamas. Navy SEALs have carried out drills off the coast of Cyprus. Additionally, Hoeven reviewed U.S. efforts to operate humanitarian aid into Gaza.

In addition, the delegation stopped in Finland to meet with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen. Finland just joined NATO and has been a regional partner in supporting Ukraine. Hoeven noted Finland has been spending more than 2.5% of its gross domestic production on defense and has a capable military that is standing up to Russia.

Also en route to Egypt, the CODEL stopped at a World War II American Cemetery to pay Memorial Day honors to U.S. soldiers buried at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery. The cemetery is the final resting place for 7,845 American soldiers killed during World War II, including 70 North Dakota servicemembers.