Israeli-Egyptian Talks to Revive Negotiations

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry welcomed his Israeli counterpart, Yair Lapid, in Sharm el-Sheikh last week (DPA)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry welcomed his Israeli counterpart, Yair Lapid, in Sharm el-Sheikh last week (DPA)
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Israeli-Egyptian Talks to Revive Negotiations

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry welcomed his Israeli counterpart, Yair Lapid, in Sharm el-Sheikh last week (DPA)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry welcomed his Israeli counterpart, Yair Lapid, in Sharm el-Sheikh last week (DPA)

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held a phone conversation with his Israeli counterpart, Yair Lapid, discussing the need to revive the Middle East peace process through direct negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel, which collapsed in 2014.

In a statement, Egyptian Foreign Minister Spokesman Ahmed Hafez said Sunday that Shoukry has called for creating a political prospect guaranteed by a stable climate to consolidate stability and avoid regional escalation and tension.

Egypt will keep pushing ahead with its "earnest" efforts in this direction, Shoukry said.

The talks also tackled efforts for reconstruction and the delivery of aid and development support to all the occupied Palestinian territories in coordination with the Palestinian Authority, Hafez added.

Hebrew websites reported that the Egyptian and Israeli officials expressed satisfaction with the successful meeting between Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Sharm el-Sheikh last week.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that Sunday’s phone conversation was "warm and cordial," and the two sides agreed to continue talking soon.

They also expressed their desire to push forward their bilateral relations, as they stressed the desire to enable economic ties between Israel and Egypt and the possibility of increasing trade and commercial activity.

The statement added that the two ministers discussed the "economy for security" program for Gaza presented by Lapid last week.

Lapid tweeted about the call with his Egyptian counterpart, saying the talks expressed great satisfaction with the successful meeting between the Israeli PM and the Egyptian President.

Last week, Sisi and Bennett discussed the Middle East peace process and means to cement the Egyptian-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas, which was reached following the recent Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip.

An Egyptian presidential statement stated that Sisi confirmed that Egypt supports all efforts exerted to achieve a comprehensive peace in the Middle East, based on the two-state solution and the resolutions of international legitimacy.

"All of this contributes to reinforcing security and achieving prosperity for all peoples of the region."

Sisi underscored the need for the international community's support to Egypt's reconstruction efforts in the Palestinian territories.

The President also reiterated the importance of maintaining calm between the Palestinians and Israelis, particularly in Egypt's ongoing efforts to mitigate tension between the two sides in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.



Hamas Rejects Netanyahu’s Claim Military Pressure Helped Secure Hostage Release 

People watch a live broadcast of Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander as he is released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, at a plaza known as the hostages square in Tel Aviv, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP)
People watch a live broadcast of Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander as he is released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, at a plaza known as the hostages square in Tel Aviv, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP)
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Hamas Rejects Netanyahu’s Claim Military Pressure Helped Secure Hostage Release 

People watch a live broadcast of Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander as he is released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, at a plaza known as the hostages square in Tel Aviv, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP)
People watch a live broadcast of Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander as he is released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, at a plaza known as the hostages square in Tel Aviv, Monday, May 12, 2025. (AP)

Hamas on Tuesday rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that military pressure had helped secure the release of US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander from Gaza a day earlier.

"The return of Edan Alexander is the result of serious communications with the US administration and the efforts of mediators, not a consequence of Israeli aggression or the illusion of military pressure," Hamas said in a statement, adding that "Netanyahu is misleading his people".

Hamas released Alexander who had been held hostage in Gaza for more than 19 months, offering a goodwill gesture toward the Trump administration that could lay the groundwork for a new ceasefire with Israel.

Alexander, 21, was the first hostage released since Israel shattered an eight-week ceasefire with Hamas in March and unleashed fierce strikes on Gaza that have killed hundreds of Palestinians.

Israel has promised to intensify its offensive, including by seizing Gaza and displacing much of the territory's population again.

Days before the ceasefire ended, Israel blocked all imports from entering the Palestinian enclave, deepening a humanitarian crisis and sparking warnings about the risk of famine if the blockade isn’t lifted. Israel says the steps are meant to pressure Hamas to accept a ceasefire agreement on Israel’s terms.