Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi receives Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Cairo, 27 December, 2023. Photo: Jordan's Royal Hashemite Court
Both leaders discussed, during a meeting in Cairo, the humanitarian situation in the strip, where major destruction of infrastructure and facilities occurred, reaffirming their complete rejection of all attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause and forcibly displace the Palestinians inside or outside their lands.
El-Sisi and Abdullah II also called on the international community to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and for an uninterrupted delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid to ease the tragic situation and the suffering of people in the strip.
Furthermore, they emphasized the necessity of a just and comprehensive settlement, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, following the relevant decisions of international legitimacy.
The two sides noted the international community’s immense political and ethical responsibility toward implementing the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly resolutions, to maintain the integrity of these international entities
On Tuesday, Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry and his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi met in Cairo, where they discussed the security of navigation in the Red Sea and the latest developments in the Gaza Strip.
During the meeting, Shoukry affirmed Egypt's keenness to enhance consultation and coordination with Jordan to face common challenges and find solutions to the political and security crises in the region.
Global efforts
On 22 December, the UN Security Council approved a much-delayed resolution calling for increased aid to the besieged Palestinian territory, where civilians are struggling to find food amid Israel’s war.
The resolution emphasizes the importance of providing safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale and creating conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to visit the Middle East next week to discuss the Israeli war in Gaza, according to Axios, citing a US official, adding that Blinken is planning to visit Israel, Jordan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
Blinken's trip, the fourth to the region since the start of the war, is one of an ongoing series of high-level visits by US President Joe Biden’s administration officials to consult with regional partners about the crisis in the Gaza Strip.
In the war's 12th week, the Israeli army has so far killed over 21,000 Palestinians, most of whom are children and women, and wounded tens of thousands more.
Egypt has been pushing for an extended ceasefire in the war-torn strip and sustained access to humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of civilians there.
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