By Ibrahim Khazen
CAIRO (AA) - Egypt said Thursday it will continue mediation efforts with Qatar and the US to reach a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas.
This came during a meeting in Cairo between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya.
Egypt “is continuing its persistent and unyielding efforts, in collaboration and partnership with Qatar and the United States, to foster opportunities for de-escalation by reaching an agreement on an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip,” Sisi said as cited by a presidential statement.
This agreement “shall pave the way for the delivery of desperately-needed humanitarian aid to Gaza's residents and halt the regional escalation,” he added.
The meeting addressed bilateral cooperation between Egypt and Kuwait and regional developments, including ways to strengthen joint Arab action, the statement said.
For months, Egypt, Qatar and the US 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 Gaza since a Hamas attack last October despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.
More than 41,100 people, mostly women and children, have since been killed and over 95,100 injured, according to local health authorities.
The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.
Israel faces accusations of genocide for its actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice.
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala in Istanbul