Egypt’s foreign affairs ministry expressed regret on Friday for the resumption of military action in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire and resumption of talks, a statement published on their Facebook page read on Friday.
The resumption in military action, according to the foreign affairs ministry, puts the Palestinian people at great risk.
As the Israeli offensive is renewed, Egypt struggles to host negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian factions which are now deadlocked.
The foreign affairs ministry’s statement added that during the three-day truce, Egypt has made “continuous unrelenting efforts to close the gap between the different views and to sponsor indirect negotiations to meet the needs of the Palestinian people and protect them from the dangers of military action resumption.”
A concession, on most terms for a ceasefire has been reached while others remain unresolved, the statement said.
A renew in the truce should be agreed upon as soon as possible to resume talks on the remaining points, the statement read.
In the light of renewed military action, the foreign affairs ministry said restraint should be exercised to refrain from military escalation and targeting civilians.
“All sides have to rise up to their responsibilities, commit to the international human rights laws, and to take into account the interests of the Palestinian people,” the statement added.
Earlier, a senior Hamas official said the group would not extend the ceasefire. He added that Israel had rejected all of Hamas’ demands in the Egypt-hosted negotiations, including a guarantee in principle that Gaza’s borders would be opened. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he had not yet delivered Hamas’ response to Egyptian officials.
Israeli strikes on Gaza killed nearly 1,900 Palestinians, wounded more than 9,000, devastated large areas along Gaza’s border with Israel and displaced tens of thousands of people. Sixty-seven people, all but three of them soldiers, were killed on the Israeli side.
Source : Ahram online
