Egypt, Kuwait stress urgent need for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

KUWAIT/ISTANBUL

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Kuwaiti Emir Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah on Tuesday stressed the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, where nearly 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in the last 18 months, was made during a meeting between the two leaders as Sisi concluded his two-day visit to Kuwait.

The Egyptian president and the Kuwaiti emir chaired an expanded session attended by delegations from both countries, followed by bilateral talks.

According to a statement from the Egyptian presidency, the Kuwaiti emir said Sisi’s visit “reflects the depth of the distinguished bilateral relations between the two countries and represents an opportunity to continue strengthening cooperation in various fields, particularly in the economic and investment sectors.”

On the deteriorating situation in Gaza, the two leaders emphasized the necessity of an "immediate and urgent ceasefire, the continued exchange of hostages and detainees," and unrestricted access to humanitarian aid in sufficient quantities.

They also affirmed “their absolute support for the Arab Plan for recovery and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, stressing the necessity of its immediate implementation once a ceasefire is enforced.”

The two leaders reiterated “their unequivocal rejection of the displacement of Palestinians from their land and emphasized the crucial necessity for a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue, through the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” according to the Egyptian presidency.

Separately, Kuwaiti Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Mohamed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah said, as quoted by the official Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), that the meeting discussed key issues of mutual concern, ways to support unified Arab action, and the latest regional and international developments, particularly regarding Gaza.

He added that both sides stressed the need for a peaceful and just resolution to the Palestinian cause through the establishment of a Palestinian state, a ceasefire, and the urgent entry of humanitarian and relief aid into Gaza.

The two sides also reaffirmed their firm rejection of any form of displacement of the Palestinian people and their commitment to supporting efforts for Gaza’s reconstruction.