Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi called for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip during a meeting on Tuesday with CIA Director William Burns.
Talks between Sisi and Burns dwelt on a host of issues of mutual concern, especially the Israeli military escalation in the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian Presidency said in a statement.
Sisi “underlined the necessity of an immediate cease-fire (in Gaza) to protect civilians and facilitate access to humanitarian aid,” the statement said.
The CIA chief, for his part, reiterated “his keenness to pursuing close coordination with Egypt to address the ongoing crisis” in Gaza, it added.
The presidential statement said the meeting confirmed the strength of the strategic partnership between Egypt and the US and its pivotal role in maintaining security and stability in the Middle East.
They also confirmed the mutual commitment to strengthen the long-standing cooperation between the two countries in various fields, the presidency said.
Israel has launched air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.
At least 10,328 Palestinians, including 4,237 children and 2,719 women, have been killed since then. The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is nearly 1,600, according to official figures.
Besides the large number of casualties and massive displacements, basic supplies are running low for Gaza’s 2.3 million residents due to the Israeli siege.
Source: AA