Kerry leaves Egypt now goes to Israel for Gaza talks
World |
During his three-day visit in Egypt, Kerry held talks with Egyptian officials on the situation in Gaza and efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Palestinian territory. He also met with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Arab League Chief Nabil al-Arabi.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry left Cairo early Wednesday for Tel Aviv for talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip between Palestinian factions and Israel.
Cairo has been abuzz with diplomatic efforts aimed at reviving an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire between Gaza-based Palestinian factions and Israel.
On Tuesday, Kerry said that the Egyptian proposal would be the "framework" for a ceasefire between Palestinian factions and Israel.
"There is a framework... to end the violence, and that framework is the Egyptian initiative," Kerry said at a joint news conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
Cairo presented its ceasefire proposal last week amid a raging Israeli military offensive against the Gaza Strip, which has left at least 644 Palestinians dead mostly civilians since it began on July 7 with the stated aim of staunching Palestinian rocket fire.
At least 31 Israelis, mostly soldiers, have also been killed since the hostilities began.
The proposal, initially accepted by Israel, was turned down by Gaza-based resistance factions Hamas and Islamic Jihad, who said they were never consulted about the terms of the plan.
Egypt, which shares a border with both the Gaza Strip and Israel, has long played a mediating role between Israel and Palestinian factions.
But its relations with Hamas have deteriorated since the ouster of elected president Mohamed Morsi by the army last summer.
Earlier this year, an Egyptian court banned Hamas an ideological offshoot of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group from operating in the country.
Israel's ongoing operation, dubbed "Operation Protective Edge," is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populated Gaza Strip which is home to some 1.8 million Palestinians within the last six years.
In 2008/9, over 1500 Palestinians were killed in Israel's three-week-long "Operation Cast Lead."
Cairo has been abuzz with diplomatic efforts aimed at reviving an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire between Gaza-based Palestinian factions and Israel.
On Tuesday, Kerry said that the Egyptian proposal would be the "framework" for a ceasefire between Palestinian factions and Israel.
"There is a framework... to end the violence, and that framework is the Egyptian initiative," Kerry said at a joint news conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
Cairo presented its ceasefire proposal last week amid a raging Israeli military offensive against the Gaza Strip, which has left at least 644 Palestinians dead mostly civilians since it began on July 7 with the stated aim of staunching Palestinian rocket fire.
At least 31 Israelis, mostly soldiers, have also been killed since the hostilities began.
The proposal, initially accepted by Israel, was turned down by Gaza-based resistance factions Hamas and Islamic Jihad, who said they were never consulted about the terms of the plan.
Egypt, which shares a border with both the Gaza Strip and Israel, has long played a mediating role between Israel and Palestinian factions.
But its relations with Hamas have deteriorated since the ouster of elected president Mohamed Morsi by the army last summer.
Earlier this year, an Egyptian court banned Hamas an ideological offshoot of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group from operating in the country.
Israel's ongoing operation, dubbed "Operation Protective Edge," is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populated Gaza Strip which is home to some 1.8 million Palestinians within the last six years.
In 2008/9, over 1500 Palestinians were killed in Israel's three-week-long "Operation Cast Lead."
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