Sisi, Dutch PM discuss Gaza situation over phone

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi received a phone call from Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Wednesday. The two sides discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations at the political and economic levels – in line with the momentum witnessed in Egyptian-European relations, Presidency Spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said. The Spokesman added that the call touched on the situation in Gaza and the Egypt’s efforts to restore regional stability through reaching a ceasefire in the war in Gaza Strip and delivering humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. President Sisi underscored the need to stop the ongoing war and warned against any military operations in the Palestinian Rafah, which would have catastrophic repercussions on the humanitarian situation in the Strip, as well as on regional peace and security. President Sisi also reiterated the importance of the international community’s assuming its responsibilities to implement the relevant UN resolutions. President Sisi and the Dutch Prime Minister agreed on the urgency of working to reach a ceasefire, and to ensure adequate access of humanitarian aid to all areas of the Gaza Strip to protect it from a humanitarian catastrophe. They also stressed the need to move towards implementing the two-state solution in a way that contributes to restoring regional stability and peace.