Egypt, Qatar discuss resuming, implementing Gaza ceasefire deal over phone

Cairo: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani held phone talks on Wednesday, during which they discussed efforts to resume and implement the Gaza ceasefire deal.

According to a statement published by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, the two sides exchanged opinions over paving the road to an early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza to ensure settling the Palestinians on their land.

They agreed to continue coordinating to ease the regional escalation and prevent further regional tensions, the statement said.

The two sides also stressed the importance of joint work to reach a political settlement that ensures regional stability, by establishing a Palestinian state as a final solution to the conflict, the statement said, Xinhua news agency reported.

A phased ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas took effect on January 19 after 15 months of Israel’s devastating assault on Gaza. Its first phase includes the release of 33 hostages and about 2,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails. All remaining living hostages are expected to be released in the second phase in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and more Palestinian detainees freed.

On Tuesday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez rejected the ongoing Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.

During a phone conversation, they emphasised the necessity of an immediate ceasefire, an end to the Israeli ground incursion into the Strip, and the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s opposition to any attempts to displace Palestinians from their land. Sanchez backed an Arab-led plan to rebuild Gaza and aligned Spain’s position with Egypt in rejecting the forced displacement of Palestinians or any move to undermine their cause, the statement said.