Egyptian, Iraqi leaders discuss Israeli war on Gaza

By Ibrahim al-Khazen

ISTANBUL (AA) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held talks on Tuesday with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip.

The discussions were held at the start of an official visit by the Iraqi premier to Egypt. He arrived in the northwestern city of El Alamein early Tuesday.

A statement by al-Sudani’s office said the talks took up Israel’s devastating war on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023.

Both leaders affirmed the right of the Palestinians to establish their state with Jerusalem as its capital, the statement read.

“The silence of the international community emboldened Israel to cross all red lines," the Iraqi premier said.

According to the statement, the prime minister hailed Egyptian mediation efforts to reach a cease-fire in Gaza.

For months, the US, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas to ensure a prisoner exchange and a cease-fire and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. But mediation efforts have been stalled due to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to meet Hamas’ demands to stop the war.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last Oct. 7, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

The onslaught has resulted in nearly 40,500 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and over 93,600 injuries, according to local health authorities.

An ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar