Intensive talks and diplomatic contacts are taking place in several directions in order to calm the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and stop the Israeli attack on Gaza, while the US President said that his administration is seeking to achieve a "permanent calm," and the Egyptian President stated that his country is making efforts to reach a ceasefire.

"My administration will continue to push the Palestinians, Israelis and other parties in the region to work towards a permanent calm," US President Joe Biden said in a video recording on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.

"We also believe that Palestinians and Israelis deserve to live together in security and peace and to enjoy an equal degree of freedom, prosperity and democracy," he added.

Meanwhile, the US State Department revealed many contacts that took place during the past hours, where it said that Secretary Anthony Blinken had held talks over the phone with his counterparts in Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

She added that he discussed with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani "efforts to restore calm in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza in light of the tragic loss of civilian lives."

The Israeli bombing destroyed homes and killed dozens of civilians (Anatolia)

For its part, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, "During the call, they discussed the recent Israeli attacks on worshipers on the Temple Mount and the attack on the besieged Gaza Strip."

The statement added that the minister stressed, during the call, "the need for urgent action by the international community to stop the repeated brutal Israeli attacks against civilians in Gaza and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque."

In another statement, the US State Department said that Blinken renewed his contact with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, "calling on all parties to de-escalate tension and stop the violence, which has claimed the lives of Israeli and Palestinian civilians, including children."

At the same time, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani telephoned his Egyptian counterpart yesterday, Sunday, in which they reviewed "bilateral cooperation relations and developments in Palestine."

For his part, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said that his country is making efforts to reach a ceasefire between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and that "hope is always there."

He added - in statements to a French channel on Sunday evening - that the utmost and urgent importance now is to stop violence and killing until calm returns to the Gaza Strip, calling on the international community to move alongside Egypt to stop the killing and end this conflict, as he put it.

On the other hand, the US Secretary of State Blinken discussed with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in a phone call the latest developments in Palestine and the region.

The State Department said that the two ministers discussed "continuous efforts to calm tension in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, and put an end to violence."

"The minister expressed his sorrow for the loss of Palestinian and Israeli lives, and urged communication to prevent the escalation of the crisis. He also expressed his belief that Palestinians and Israelis deserve equal degrees of freedom, dignity, security and prosperity," she added.

For its part, the Saudi Press Agency said that the two ministers reviewed "the strategic relations between the Kingdom and the United States and ways to support them in all fields, in addition to the most prominent developments, foremost of which are developments in Palestine and developments in the region."

International efforts

Meanwhile, Axios, the US website, said that the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Winnisland, held intensive discussions with both Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the last hours.

He added that the UN coordinator also spoke with Egyptian intelligence officials as part of efforts to restore calm.

The site pointed out that the United States apparently tightened its rhetoric in demanding an end to the escalation, as US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Twitter that "all parties must stop the escalation of tensions .. the violence must stop immediately."

On the other hand, King Abdullah of Jordan said that there are "intensive efforts and continuous contacts with all international actors to stop the Israeli escalation."

The Jordanian News Agency (Petra) quoted him as saying that "the region will not enjoy security and stability without reaching a just and comprehensive solution that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital."

Earlier on Sunday, the United States blocked the issuance of a joint statement by the UN Security Council on the escalation in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The United States continued its refusal to issue any joint declaration after rejecting two previous texts proposed by 3 members of the Council, namely Norway, Tunisia and China.