JOHN YANG: This week, Israel stepped up its bombing across the Gaza Strip, and talks aimed at the release of the hostages held by Hamas and an Israeli pause in fighting have bogged down.

Since October 7, more than 28,000 Palestinians and around 1,200 Israelis have died.

Today at the Munich security conference, Nick Schifrin sat down with Egypt's foreign minister.

They discussed his country's role in mediating the ceasefire talks and the effect the war is having on the region.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Mr. Foreign Minister, thank you very much.

Egypt has been in the middle of negotiations for a deal that would pause the war and release Israeli hostages being held in Gaza and also Palestinians being detained by Israel.

Cairo hosted a meeting a few days ago for this.

Has there been any progress since that meeting?

SAMEH SHOUKRY, Egypt Foreign Minister: They were productive meetings, of course.

They are sensitive meetings, and I will refrain from going into details, but we will continue to exert every effort that they should be productive, that they should fulfill the needs for a ceasefire, even though a limited one, but one that necessarily would have to translate into a more sustainable and complete cessation of hostilities.

It's important that we move ahead in terms of the negotiations, recognizing that these are difficulty issues, that both parties will vie for the best possible deal, and it is up to us to encourage them to show flexibility and moderation.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Today, the head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, in a statement said, Hamas will not accept anything less than a complete cessation of the aggression, withdrawal of the occupation army from Gaza, and lifting of the unjust siege.

That is something, of course, that Israel has already, before even the statement is made, rejected.

Does that kind of statement doom any progress in negotiations?

SAMEH SHOUKRY: Well, I think we've heard statements also from the other side that also raise the bar of the position and might complicate the current negotiations.

But it is going to be incumbent on the ability of both sides to continue to maintain this ongoing dialogue, this mediation, so as to find the point of convergence.

NICK SCHIFRIN: As you put it, the other side.

Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this week have threatened publicly to pull out of talks, not send the head of the Mossad.

David Barnea.

Do you believe Israel is negotiating in good faith?

SAMEH SHOUKRY: Again, we hope that all will recognize the consequences of continuing this military conflict and its impact, which is unprecedented in the 21st, even the 20th century, the scale of human lives, children and women now exceeding 20,000, have been killed.

We've gone beyond the 100,000 injured, and we need to deal with it from all of its perspectives.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Is Egypt building a walled enclosure near the border with Israel in case Gazans escape from Gaza into Sinai?

SAMEH SHOUKRY: We have consolidated our border fortifications between Egypt and Gaza over the last four or five years.

This was part of our demolition of the tunnel network.

We continue to have maintenance around the Rafah area because of the volume of assistance and trucks that need to enter.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But with all due respect, sir, there are satellite images that show what seem to be a walled enclosure, a kind of box that presumably Palestinians could go into if they escaped through the border.

SAMEH SHOUKRY: Well, again, I don't have any specific knowledge of what is the construction being undertaken, but what we have indicated is that the displacement into our territory is a red line.

And we appreciate all those who have also indicated that they refuse displacement into Egyptian territory.

But rhetoric is not enough.

I think those who have indicated that policy should also indicate that there will be consequences if that was to happen.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Have you warned Israel that if Israel proceeds with a military operation in Rafah, the peace treaty could be a threat?

SAMEH SHOUKRY: Again the peace treaty has endured over the last 40 more years.

We deem that it has brought advantages to both Egypt and Israel.

We implement it in good faith and we will continue to do so.

NICK SCHIFRIN: So what are the consequences if Israel follows through on threats to attack Rafah, where there are 1.3 million Gazans sheltering, they have nowhere else to go.

So what's the consequence?

SAMEH SHOUKRY: Well, let me not try to speculate on a hypothetical, but it would certainly be a very dramatic turn of events that will have severe repercussions on the crisis, on the Palestinian cause on Egypt's security, and we will deal with it.

NICK SCHIFRIN: What do you believe the impact would be if this war is raging at this level in three weeks when Ramadan begins?

SAMEH SHOUKRY: Devastating.

I think every day we should not be in a position to accept the continuing impact on the civilians.

Everyone should do everything possible to end this confrontation and deal with the legitimate concerns.

As appalling as October the 7th was, it still is not in a vacuum.

The issue of occupation, the issue of Palestinian statehood, the long cycle of violence and counter-violence have all compounded the difficulties of resolving the conflict and living in peace for the region.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Finally, sir, the Senate has blocked 325 million of security assistance and the administration has decided to withhold that money from Cairo.

And for you to be able to get that money, as well as future money, you have to make, quote, specific human rights progress, as well as progress on political prisoners.

So, you've promised to U.S. officials, I've been told, to reduce pretrial detention and to move toward releasing those prisoners.

Have you made those moves?

SAMEH SHOUKRY: These issues are addressed within our bilateral dialogue.

Whatever decisions the Congress makes, it makes by its prerogatives.

Whatever decisions we make that we feel are in the best interest of the Egyptian people.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But do you believe you followed through on your promises about human rights?

SAMEH SHOUKRY: I believe that we will undertake our responsibilities in applying policy that is beneficial to the Egyptian people.

And I think at this stage and what we see in Reza, I think the discussion related to human rights needs to be a little bit more insightful and that the issue.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Do you think it hasn't been insightful from the United States government?

SAMEH SHOUKRY: I'm speaking generally about the international community and how it is applying a single standard and what constitutes the rule of law and how is it applied, whether it's applied fairly.

So the issues of human rights and any perception that any state is immune from criticism in terms of its application of human rights would call into question the authoritative nature of such comments.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Mr. Foreign Minister, thank you very much.

SAMEH SHOUKRY: Thank you.