Egypt, Qatar vow to consolidate Gaza ceasefire

Cairo, Nov 10 (IANS) Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani affirmed their commitment to continuing efforts to consolidate the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

During a phone conversation, the two officials also discussed developments regarding the ongoing consultations on the implementation of US President Donald Trump's peace plan for Gaza, according to a statement issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Xinhua news agency reported.

They stressed the necessity of linking the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to ensure the unity of the Palestinian territories, highlighting the importance of Palestinians assuming management of their affairs while preserving the unity of Palestinian decision-making.

Both sides discussed the ongoing consultations in the United Nations Security Council concerning the deployment of the international forces in Gaza, stressing the need to define its mandate and powers in a manner that supports early recovery and reconstruction efforts.

They also reviewed the situation in the West Bank, emphasizing their unequivocal rejection of all settlement activities and repeated violations that undermine peace prospects and escalate tension.

An ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza took effect on October 10 after two years of conflict. The long-awaited ceasefire deal was reached through the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States.

US President Donald Trump's plan to end the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas calls for a temporary international stabilization force to gradually take over security in Gaza from the Israeli army. Washington has reportedly been in talks with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Indonesia, Türkiye, and Azerbaijan to contribute to the force.

--IANS

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