CAIRO

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations and the regional situation, especially in the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian Presidency said on Saturday.

This came during an unannounced visit by the Emirati leader, according to official sources from both countries.

“President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Cairo today on a visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt,” said the Emirati news agency WAM.

Israel has launched a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which Tel Aviv said killed less than 1,200 people.

More than 32,100 Palestinians have since been killed and over 72,400 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala​​​​​​​