Egypt at the heart of negotiations for a lasting truce between Israel and Hamas
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (3rd from left) and Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi (2nd from right) met in Cairo regarding the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, this Sunday, May 30, 2021 . © Nariman El-Mofty / AP
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
The head of Israeli diplomacy was visiting Cairo.
At the same time, an Egyptian delegation met the Israeli Prime Minister in Jerusalem, and the President of the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.
Negotiations are intensifying to prevent a new outbreak of violence after the new devastating war between Israel and Hamas.
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The consolidation of the
ceasefire, established on May 21
, was at the center of concerns this Sunday.
Abbas Kamel, the Egyptian intelligence chief, first met with Benjamin Netanyahu.
With the Israeli Prime Minister, they raised the issue of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, reports our correspondent in Ramallah,
Alice Froussard
.
This is the main demand of the Hebrew state in any future negotiations with Hamas.
They then spoke of "
ways to prevent
" Hamas from
using funds allocated to the people of Gaza
for the reconstruction of the coastal enclave.
As Benyamin Netanyahu and the head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, spoke on Wednesday.
Towards Palestinian unity for more stability
Then the Egyptian intelligence chief went to Ramallah, received by Mahmoud Abbas at the Muqata, the presidential palace.
Abbas Kamel discussed global appeasement in Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Both evoked the reconstruction of Gaza, a coastal enclave under Israeli and Egyptian blockade, and spoke of the unity, that of the Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, as a political horizon necessary for better security and stability in the region.
Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel met Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on May 30, 2021. PPO / AFP
Earlier this week, Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas, recalled that Egypt had a role to play in consolidating the ceasefire.
According to Egyptian sources, the head of Hamas's political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, is expected in Egypt in the coming days.
But this Sunday, it was Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi who visited Cairo at the invitation of his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Choucri.
This is the first visit to Egypt by an Israeli foreign minister in 13 years.
Take the opportunity to improve relations with Egypt
"
The reception of the head of Israeli diplomacy is part of the Egyptian efforts to build on the basis of the ceasefire and revive the peace process
," said the spokesman for the Egyptian ministry. Foreign Affairs. On the Israeli side, Gabi Ashkenazi insisted on bilateral relations, according to our correspondent in Cairo,
Alexandre Buccianti
. He said he discussed the strengthening of economic cooperation with "
an important regional ally involved in the maintenance of security, stability and peace
".
Regarding Hamas, as Netanyahu spoke to the Egyptian delegation, he considered "
necessary to act to prevent a strengthening of extremist elements and to ensure the return of Israelis detained or prisoners of the Palestinian Islamist movement
".
►Also read: Interview - "The reconstruction of Gaza will take time"
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Israel
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Benjamin Netanyahu
Mahmoud Abbas
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