Two Egyptian security sources said on Monday that Egypt is in intensive and close contacts with Israel and the Palestinian resistance movement (Hamas), to try to prevent further escalation and ensure the protection of Israeli prisoners.
The sources, who asked not to be identified, said Cairo urged Israel to exercise restraint and urged Hamas to keep the prisoners in good condition to keep the prospect of a truce open.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held contacts with Jordan's King Abdullah II, Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani with the aim of coordinating efforts for a "return of calm" in the Gaza Strip, in the words of the Egyptian presidency.
Egypt has for decades played the role of mediator between Israel and Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip during wars.
Arab League Meeting
On the other hand, Arab foreign ministers will discuss during a meeting of the Arab League on Wednesday ways to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
The Assistant Secretary-General of the League, Hossam Zaki, said that it was decided to convene an extraordinary session of the Council of the League at the level of foreign ministers at the request of Palestine, to discuss ways of political action at the Arab and international levels to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
The retaliatory Israeli aggression on Gaza, which has been ongoing since Saturday evening, intensified after the launch of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" military operation against Israel, and led to the death of about 560 people and the injury of 2900,<> others so far in the Strip.
Analysts say successive Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip have made political mediation to end the bombardment difficult.