Egypt urged on Tuesday for "serious action" to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, renewing calls that the only way to establish comprehensive peace and coexistence in the region is to support the two-state solution.
Cairo called for a recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent, viable state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
On Tuesday, humanitarian aid continued to cross from Egypt into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi stressed the importance of "facilitating the unfettered flow of humanitarian aid."
Sisi received the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns, in the presence of the Director of the General Intelligence Service, Major General Abbas Kamel.
Egypt's presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said the two men addressed a multitude of regional and international issues of mutual concern, mainly the Israeli military escalation in the Gaza Strip.
The CIA Director reaffirmed his commitment to continue close coordination with the Egyptian side to resolve the current crisis.
The meeting underscored the robust strategic partnership between Egypt and the US and its pivotal role in maintaining security and stability in the Middle East.
Fahmy stated that there was also an emphasis on the mutual commitment to strengthening and advancing the solid cooperation between the two countries across several fields, particularly at the security and intelligence levels.
- Egyptian movements
Egypt continued its efforts to stop the escalation in the Gaza Strip.
Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry received visiting senior Fatah official Jibril Rajoub on Tuesday and discussed the efforts to stop the war.
Shoukry stressed the need for an immediate unconditional ceasefire, calling on Israel to comply with the provisions of international and humanitarian law in its capacity as the occupying power.
He said Tel Aviv should refrain from blatant attacks against the Palestinian people, urging the necessity of delivering humanitarian and relief aid ultimately and sustainably to the Strip without obstacles.
Egypt is committed to continue providing the necessary support to the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people, rejecting the double standards adopted by some international parties.
The top diplomat rejected any agreement that does not end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and stop the Israeli aggression under the pretext of so-called "self-defense or combating terrorism."
Rajoub appreciated Egypt's support and role in supporting the Palestinian cause over the past decades.
- An unprecedented escalation
Shoukry also received UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in Cairo.
According to Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid, the UN official was keen to hear Shoukry's assessment of the developments in the unprecedented Israeli military escalation in the Strip.
The Minister urged international parties to shoulder their legal, humanitarian, and political responsibility in ending the catastrophe in Gaza and supporting an urgent ceasefire.
He explained that there is a responsibility necessitated by the humanitarian shock that everyone is feeling as a result of the ongoing Israeli bombardment of civilian facilities and the collective punishment policies, including siege and displacement.
Since the Israeli aggression started in the Gaza Strip a month ago, more than 10,000 civilians have been killed, including more than 4,800 children, Shoukry said.
He pointed out that the matter is blatant evidence of the "double standards" that some international parties are dealing with regarding armed conflicts in various regions.
For his part, the UN official praised the Egyptian efforts to contain the repercussions of the crisis and put an end to it. He affirmed keenness to continue coordination with Cairo on means of tackling the humanitarian plight suffered by civilians in Gaza.
- Disastrous situation
Meanwhile, the Arab League Sec-Gen, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, confirmed during a meeting with Turk on Tuesday that "the situation in Gaza is catastrophic" and puts the principles of human rights and universal values at risk in light of the violation of all Palestinian rights.
According to official spokesman Jamal Rushdi, the Sec-Gen explained that there is a feeling of "loss of confidence" in international humanitarian law and human rights in light of the massacres committed by the occupation forces, which people see daily on screens.
- Humanitarian aid
The Egyptian Red Crescent announced on its official Facebook page on Tuesday that it delivered to the Palestinian Red Crescent 93 humanitarian and medical aid trucks containing food, medical supplies, water, and relief aid.
Sec-Gen of the Egyptian Red Crescent in North Sinai, Raed Abdel Nasser, said that as of Tuesday, 69 trucks were allowed to enter Gaza from the Rafah crossing since humanitarian aid was allowed to enter the enclave.
