Egypt's foreign minister urged Israel on Friday to accept a proposed ceasefire in Gaza, warning that the humanitarian crisis in the enclave has reached famine levels and that the continuation of hostilities risks further destabilising the region. In a phone call with Steve Witkoff, US special envoy for the Middle East, Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Atty said Israel must respond positively to a deal designed to halt the fighting, allow the entry of humanitarian aid and secure the release of hostages and detainees. Egypt, long a key intermediary in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, has been working with Washington and other partners to broker an agreement. According to a statement from Egypt's foreign ministry. Abdel-Atty said Cairo was preparing to host an international conference on Gaza's recovery and reconstruction once a ceasefire takes hold, in line with an Arab-Islamic plan endorsed at a Cairo summit earlier this year. The two sides also discussed Iran's nuclear programme. Abdel-Atty underscored the importance of reviving negotiations to ease regional tensions and rebuild trust, describing diplomacy as the only way to achieve a sustainable settlement. The call reflected Egypt's dual role in the conflict — as Gaza's immediate neighbour and as a mediator seen by both Western and Arab capitals as essential to any eventual resolution. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
