Egyptian president, CIA chief discuss efforts for de-escalation in region-Xinhua

Egyptian president, CIA chief discuss efforts for de-escalation in region

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2024-10-31 22:47:15

CAIRO, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi held talks here on Thursday with U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns, discussing joint efforts to achieve de-escalation in the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

The meeting, attended by Egypt's newly-appointed intelligence chief Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, addressed "ways to advance negotiations towards a ceasefire and the exchange of captives," said the statement.

The talks between Sisi and Burns also touched on the recent Israeli ban on the operation of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) within the area under Israeli control.

The Egyptian president "underscored the crucial role played by the UNRWA and the necessity of not obstructing its work, and reaffirmed the importance of implementing the two-state solution as a pathway to achieving peace and security in the region," the statement added.

Sisi also warned of the dangers posed by continued regional escalation and its serious implications for all peoples in the region.

Since the outbreak of the conflict between Hamas and Israel in October last year, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been working to mediate a ceasefire in Gaza.

The conflict has led to Israel's military escalation with Iran and its ally, particularly the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, amid concerns that the tensions would expand into a regional war.