CAIRO: Egypt has said that Israel and Hamas must show “flexibility” if they are to strike an agreement for a truce and hostage-prisoner exchange in the seven-month war in Gaza, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The readout of a phone conversation between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said both sides agreed on “the importance of asking the parties to show flexibility and make all the essential efforts to achieve a truce agreement and put an end to the humanitarian tragedy in the Gaza Strip.
The statement comes as heavy fighting is reporting from the ground as Israeli troops are conducting brutal operations in several parts of Rafah. Reports are also emerging of heavy clashes between Palestinian groups and Israeli troops in Rafah.
READ ALSO : War on Gaza: Aid Operation Crippled’ Amid Fierce Fights between Israel, Hamas
Biden’s administration has opposed any Israeli military operation in Rafah. US media also reported that one shipment of US bombs had also been paused over fears that they would be used against civilians in Rafaha. In a statement, Biden said that if Israel goes “into Rafah, he will not supply the arms.
On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that they are ready to “stand alone”, in a thinly indirect reply to Biden’s warning that weapons supplies could be withheld.
About 80,000 Palestinian people have fled Rafah and thousands are making attempts to leave as Israel army’s ground invasion ramps up. Earlier, Israeli military takeover of the Rafah border crossing has shut down the entry of help into Gaza for the last three days, “completely crippling aid operations” as deprivation spreads, the United Nations stated.
Gaza Health Ministry stated that more than 34,904 mostly women and children have been killed and over 78,514 people wounded in Israeli brutal attacks on Gaza since Oct. 7.
