Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty expressed his hope during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday that the upcoming round of Gaza ceasefire negotiations will see a genuine Israeli political will to end the war on the Gaza Strip.
He asserted that the ceasefire is the only way to put an end to the humanitarian suffering in the strip, according to a statement by the foreign ministry.
The political will, he added, is essential to prevent the regional situation from spiralling out of control and escalating to a level that threatens the stability and peace of the entire region, warned Abdelatty.
The meeting, held in New Alamein City, touched on the Egyptian-Qatari-US efforts to secure a ceasefire aimed at facilitating the exchange of prisoners and detainees, alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and ensuring the sufficient delivery of aid.
Egypt’s top diplomat conveyed to the US Secretary that Cairo’s vision for Middle East stability relies on a lasting and fair resolution to the Palestinian cause, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
For his part, Blinken expressed his support for Egypt’s vision for a Gaza ceasefire and commended Cairo’s mediation efforts.
Blinken arrived Tuesday in Cairo ahead of the upcoming round of Gaza ceasefire.
His arrival follows a visit to Israel as part of his ninth tour to the Middle East since the outbreak of the war to push forward the new round of ceasefire talks that kicked off in Doha in the past few days.
In Doha, where the first round of ceasefire talks took place on Friday, the US — with the support of Egypt and Qatar — presented to Hamas and Israel a proposal that narrows the gaps between them and aligns with the principles set out by President Biden on 31 May 2024 and UN Security Council Resolution 2735.
On Sunday, after his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken indicated that Netanyahu had accepted the US proposal and urged Hamas to follow suit, emphasizing that the current negotiations might be the “last chance” to end the conflict.
However, Hamas accused Netanyahu of undermining mediator efforts and obstructing a truce and prisoner exchange deal in Gaza.
The Islamic movement rejected the US “bridging proposal” presented during the Doha talks, claiming it aligns with Netanyahu’s conditions and includes unacceptable terms for them.
According to Axios, Netanyahu’s team, including Mossad director David Barnea, has stated that the Israeli Prime Minister’s current stance on ceasefire talks makes reaching an agreement impossible.
Axios reported that Israeli officials claim Netanyahu has not allowed his negotiators enough flexibility to secure a deal.
In a separate meeting on Tuesday, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi emphasized to Blinken that a ceasefire in Gaza must mark the beginning of broader international recognition of an independent Palestinian State and the enforcement of the two-state solution, given the fact that this is the fundamental guarantor of stability in the region.
El-Sisi also warned of the serious risks associated with the regional expansion of the conflict, highlighting the potentially dire consequences and stressing that preserving lives should be the primary focus for all parties, according to the Egyptian Presidential statement.
El-Sisi and Blinken discussed the joint Egyptian-American-Qatari mediation efforts aimed at reaching a ceasefire in Gaza and facilitating the exchange of detainees.
They also reviewed the outcomes of the recent talks in Doha and explored strategies for advancing the upcoming discussions in Cairo.
Blinken briefed President El-Sisi on the results of his visit to Israel, reaffirming the US commitment to de-escalation and the pursuit of a resolution.
On 9 August, the leaders of Egypt, the US, and Qatar issued a joint statement urging Israel and Hamas to resume negotiations amid rising concerns of a broader regional conflict following the assassination of key leaders from Hamas and Hezbollah.
Since October 7, Israel has reportedly killed and injured over 130,000 Palestinians, primarily children and women, inflicted significant damage to Gaza’s infrastructure, and displaced a large portion of the population.
Source: Ahram Online
