CAIRO, Oct. 13, (Xinhua/GNA) — Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, urged on Thursday the Palestinian and Israeli sides, to exercise utmost restraint, while expressing Cairo’s willingness to mediate to end the ongoing deadly conflict.
“Egypt is prepared to harness all its capabilities and efforts toward mediation, in coordination with all effective international and regional partners, without restrictions or conditions,” said the Egyptian president when delivering a speech at a military academy.
He called on the Palestinians and Israelis to “listen to the voice of reason and wisdom, spare civilians, particularly children and women, from the cycle of brutal vengeance, and return immediately to the path of negotiation.” The president also urged to “prevent the exacerbation of the humanitarian situation and avoid the policies of collective punishment including a siege on the Palestinian enclave.”
Sisi made the remarks as the deadly conflict between the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), which controls the Gaza Strip, and Israel entered the sixth day and took a heavy toll on both sides. Hamas launched on Saturday a surprise attack on southern Israeli towns adjacent to Gaza, prompting Israel to launch retaliatory strikes on Gaza.
GNA