CAIRO: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Wednesday said in a meeting with his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne that parties “must show the necessary flexibility” to reach a truce deal in Gaza “that stops the bloodshed of Palestinians”, AFP reported.
During Sejourne’s “quick visit” to Cairo, discussions centered on ongoing negotiations for a truce between Palestinian resistance group Hamas and Israel, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated. Sejourne’s regional tour, which included stops in Lebanon and Israel, underscores international efforts to broker peace amid escalating tensions in the region.
Hamas is reviewing a proposed 40-day ceasefire and the potential exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, as mediated by US, Egypt, and Qatar in Cairo talks. Senior Hamas official Suhail al-Hindi affirmed that a response from the Palestinian group would be forthcoming shortly.
An Israeli official revealed that the government would await responses until Wednesday night before deciding whether to dispatch envoys to Cairo to finalize a potential truce agreement.
Meanwhile, Israel has continued relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza since October 7. Israel’s relentless bombardment campaign has killed at least 34,568 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza since October 7, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The prolonged hostilities have decimated civilian infrastructure, displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2.4 million inhabitants, and exacerbated humanitarian crises, prompting urgent calls from the United Nations for increased humanitarian aid to prevent famine.
Sejourne also briefed Shoukry on the outcomes of his recent visit to Lebanon, where escalating cross-border violence between Israel and Hezbollah has claimed the lives of hundreds, including civilians and fighters.
Sejourne emphasized that any potential truce in Gaza should be complemented by a similar ceasefire in Lebanon, underscoring the interconnected nature of conflicts in the region.
According to the Egyptian foreign ministry, France’s top diplomat said “a potential truce in Gaza must be accompanied by a similar truce in Lebanon.”
