CAIRO: US President Joe Biden on Monday spoke over the phone with President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to discuss the ceasefire in Gaza and the dangers of a military escalation in Rafah.
The spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency said the two leaders call also touched on the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, a main issue in any comprehensive ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel.
A Hamas delegation is currently in Egypt to deliberate on Israel’s response to a ceasefire deal.
The danger of a military escalation in Rafah city of Gaza was also stressed. A statement from the Egyptian Presidency said the two sides agreed that such a move would add catastrophe to an already deteriorating humanitarian crisis that would impact stability and security in the region.
President El-Sisi during the call stressed the necessity of full and adequate access to humanitarian assistance, reviewing the Egyptian intensive efforts in this regard.
The two presidents also emphasized the necessity of working together to prevent the expansion of the conflict and reaffirmed the significance of the two-state solution to achieve peace, security, and stability in the region.
President Biden also held a phone call with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, whose country has also played the role of mediator to end the conflict.
According to the statement of Qatar’s Emiri Diwa, they discussed developments in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories. The two leaders also discussed the efforts of Doha and Washington to reach an immediate ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
