Egypt hosts Arab talks with Blinken on steps to end Gaza bombardment
Government ministers from five Arab countries met in Cairo with a Palestinian official to discuss the Gaza bombardment, Egypt’s foreign ministry said.
According to AFP, in a joint statement released by Egypt’s foreign ministry, the ministers called for “a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire” and the “opening of all crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip,” where aid has only trickled in and the United Nations has repeatedly warned of imminent famine.
The meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan, as well as the Emirati minister of international cooperation and the Palestinian Authority minister for civilian affairs, the ministry said.
The Arab officials also reiterated their “rejection of any attempt to displace the Palestinians from their lands,” as a looming Israeli ground invasion of Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah has raised fears for the 1.5 million mostly displaced Palestinians sheltering in the city, penned in by the Egyptian border.