Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks in Cairo on Friday, emphasizing the critical need to maintain the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The meeting occurred on the sidelines of the second ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa partnership.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Abdelatty stated Egypt is pushing for the launch of a second phase of the ceasefire. He said the move from the first phase to the second phase must happen soon.
Abdelatty added that the United States is working to implement a peace plan, which Egypt supports, and to expedite the second phase. He listed requirements for this phase, including withdrawal from Gaza, disarmament, reconstruction, and the deployment of an international force.
The calls for adherence follow reports of regular ceasefire violations. Israel has been accused of near-daily violations, with over 400 Palestinians reported killed since the ceasefire began.
