Egypt FM heads to Amman for talks on building on ceasefire in Gaza

Ahram Online , Sunday 23 May 2021

The visit by Shoukry comes as an Egypt-sponsored ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions held into a third day on Sunday, bringing an end to the 11-day military operation against the Gaza Strip.

FM Shoukry
A file photo of Egypt's foreign minister Sameh Shoukry (Photo:Al-Ahram)

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is set to travel to Jordan on Sunday for talks about building on a Cairo-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

According to an official statement, the Egyptian foreign ministry said Shoukry will be received by Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Amman.

His visit will include in-depth discussions with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi on necessary measures to stabilize the situation in Palestine and a permanent de-escalation in Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

They will also discuss means to create a climate conducive to the urgent revival of the peace negotiations to reach a comprehensive political settlement that ensures the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital under the basis of international law.

The visit by Shoukry comes as an Egypt-sponsored ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions held into a third day on Sunday.

Egyptian mediators have been sent to Tel Aviv and the Palestinian territories to follow up on the implementation of the ceasefire, which began on Friday.

The 11-day fighting has been deemed the most serious since 2014 as Israel upped aggression on Gaza with artillery and air strikes in response to rocket attacks on Israeli towns from the strip, which is controlled by Hamas.

Some 248 people were killed in Gaza, while the death toll in Israel stood at 13.

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