CAIRO: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reaffirmed the importance of fully and faithfully implementing the ongoing ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip, stressing the necessity of transitioning to the second phase of the deal to ensure a lasting truce.
"Since the first phase has been completed, we should now begin discussions and consultations on the second phase. The ultimate goal is to sustain the ceasefire agreement, " Abdelatty said at a joint press conference in Cairo with European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica.
Abdelatty condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to stop the entry of aid to Gaza. He said that using aid as a weapon of collective punishment and starvation in Gaza is unacceptable and impermissible, affirming that this act represents a blatant and explicit violation of international humanitarian law, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Egyptian top diplomat emphasised that Egypt is actively coordinating with the US and Qatar, hosting delegations, and intensifying discussions to ensure the agreement's implementation, maintain the ceasefire, and facilitate humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza.
"We continue our intensive efforts to ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire and to initiate negotiations on the second phase, " he told reporters.
He also reiterated that the establishment of a Palestinian state is the only viable path to long-term security and stability in the region.
He emphasised Europe's crucial role, both politically in maintaining regional peace and economically in supporting the upcoming reconstruction of Gaza.
Israel and Hamas have been implementing a ceasefire agreement since January 19, following more than 15 months of a deadly conflict in Gaza. The first phase of the ceasefire agreement ended on Saturday.
Hamas has said it was ready to open negotiations on the second phase, but Israel presented a new framework that would extend the first phase until after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover, which ends on April 20, describing it as an outline of US envoy Steve Witkoff. Under the proposal, Hamas would free half the hostages on the first day, with the remaining captives freed at the end of the period if a permanent ceasefire is achieved.