CAIRO, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Egypt and Qatar pledged on Friday to continue mediation efforts to end the war in Gaza.
In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said that Egypt and Qatar are continuing their intensive mediation to reach an agreement that would put an end to the war, stop the humanitarian suffering in the enclave, and ensure the protection of civilians and the exchange of detainees and prisoners.
The two countries said that some progress had been made in the latest round of intensive negotiations that started on July 6, noting that suspending negotiations for consultations before resuming the dialogue is a normal occurrence in the context of these complex talks.
Israel on Thursday recalled its negotiating team from Doha for consultations after receiving Hamas's response to the latest ceasefire proposal. A senior Hamas official said the group had been informed by the mediators that the Israeli delegation would return next week to continue the talks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement on Friday that Israel is considering new ways to release the Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
The Israeli military campaign in Gaza, ongoing since October 2023, has resulted in more than 59,210 Palestinian deaths and over 143,040 injuries, according to Gaza's health authorities. Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate as Israel limited the entry of goods and supplies into the enclave, leading to widespread starvation. ■
