President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, warned on Tuesday of the grave danger of Israel’s escalating military operations in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. They expressed their concern over the serious repercussions of such actions, which could worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The two leaders stressed the need for coordinated international efforts to prevent the spread of the conflict and the rise of tensions in the region.
Ahmed Fahmy, the official spokesperson for the Egyptian presidency, said that the two sides discussed the efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, protect civilians from the deteriorating situation, and deliver humanitarian assistance, during a meeting in Cairo. The meeting was attended by Major General Abbas Kamel, the head of Egyptian intelligence, and Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, the head of the Qatari state security service.
In a separate meeting, President Al-Sisi met with William Burns, the director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, on Tuesday. They reviewed the developments of the situation in Gaza, and agreed to continue intensive consultations and coordination to achieve the goals of the ceasefire, the protection of civilians, and the implementation of the two-state solution, to enhance the efforts to establish security and stability in the region.
Fahmy said that the meeting, which was also attended by Kamel, affirmed the strength of the Egyptian-American strategic partnership.
Burns conveyed the greetings of US President Joe Biden to President Al-Sisi, and his appreciation for Egypt’s relentless efforts in promoting the path of calm in Gaza, the ceasefire, and the prisoner exchange, as well as its ongoing pivotal role in providing and facilitating humanitarian aid to Gaza since the onset of the crisis.
