Al-Sisi discusses with the Prime Minister of Qatar and the Director of US Intelligence the Gaza truce

Egypt – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, yesterday, Tuesday, discussed with the Prime Minister of Qatar and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman, and US Intelligence Director William Burns, efforts to reach a truce in the Gaza Strip.

This came in two separate meetings in the capital, Cairo, according to two statements by the Egyptian presidency.

The two meetings coincide with the start of a quadripartite meeting in Cairo with the participation of Qatari, American, and Israeli to discuss the truce in the Gaza Strip, according to what Egyptian media reported.

Al-Sisi met with the Prime Minister of Qatar, in the presence of Major General Abbas Kamel, head of Egyptian Intelligence, and Abdullah bin Muhammad Al-Khulaifi, head of the Qatari State Security Service.

The meeting witnessed “a review of efforts aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and protecting civilians from the deteriorating conditions in the Strip.”

The two parties stressed “the extreme danger of the escalation of operations in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, and warned of the dire consequences of such a measure, in light of the risks it entails of exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.”

The two sides also stressed “the necessity of uniting international efforts to prevent the expansion of the circle of conflict and the increase of factors of tension in the region.”

Egyptian-American agreement

In a related context, Al-Sisi met with the head of the US Central Intelligence Agency, in the presence of Major General Abbas Kamel, according to a second statement from the Egyptian presidency.

The meeting witnessed “confirmation of the strength of the Egyptian-American strategic partnership.”

Burns also conveyed “President Joe Biden’s greetings to the Egyptian President, and his appreciation for Egypt’s tireless efforts to advance the path of calm in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of detainees, and its continued pivotal role in providing and bringing humanitarian aid into Gaza since the outbreak of the crisis,” according to the Egyptian presidency statement.

The meeting witnessed “a review of developments in the current situation, where it was confirmed that intensive consultation and coordination will continue to achieve the goals of the ceasefire, protect civilians, and activate the two-state solution, in a way that enhances efforts to establish security and stability in the region.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Egypt’s private Cairo News Channel reported, citing a high-ranking Egyptian source, that “a quadripartite meeting has begun in Cairo with the participation of Qatari, American, and Israeli to discuss the truce in the Gaza Strip.”

The source added: “The meeting is discussing the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of Israeli detainees and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.”

Earlier Tuesday, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (officially) announced that the meeting would be attended by Mossad intelligence chief David Barnea and William Burns, Egyptian intelligence chief Major General Abbas Kamel, and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani.

Cairo, along with Doha and Washington, is sponsoring mediation efforts to reach a second truce between the Palestinian faction movement and Israel, after a first truce that lasted for a week and ended in early December 2023, and resulted in an exchange of prisoners between the two parties, and the entry of limited amounts of fuel and aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.

Tel Aviv estimates that there are about 136 Israeli prisoners in Gaza, while it holds no less than 8,800 Palestinians in its prisons, according to official sources from both parties, but there is no confirmation of the final number by both parties.

Since last October 7, Israel has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, leaving tens of thousands of victims, most of them children and women, according to Palestinian and UN data, which led to Israel being tried before international justice on charges of “genocide” for the first time since its founding.

Anatolia