Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will receive in Cairo on Sunday his Israeli counterpart, Gabi Ashkenazi, the Egyptian foreign ministry said in a statement. The two ministers will hold talks at Al-Tahrir Palace in the Egyptian capital, the statement added. Egypt brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, which came into effect on 21 May, ending 11 days of Israeli aggression against the enclave. The Israeli violence left more than 250 Palestinians dead, hundreds injured and homeless, while tens of residential and commercial buildings were shelled by Israeli air strikes. Egypt has taken several political and diplomatic steps since then to consolidate the ceasefire, including sending security delegations to the warring sides. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi received US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday in Cairo. The president affirmed to Blinken that the recent developments in the Palestinian territories reflect the urgent need to revive direct Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.
