Egypt invites Israel and Hamas for direct talks in Cairo, Israel accepts

Egypt invited Israel and Gaza to Cairo to discuss the return of captives and the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday that the latest developments between Israelis and Palestinians reaffirmed the need for direct talks between the two sides with Washington’s involvement.

Egypt invited Israel and Gaza to Cairo to discuss the return of captives and the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip, Kan News reported.

“Israel’s delegation is expected to arrive in Egypt in the beginning of next week,” Galatz, Israel’s army radio tweeted in response to the invitation.

משלחת ישראלית צפויה להגיע בתחילת השבוע למצרים; המטרה - להגיע להבנות סביב הפסקת האש ואפשרויות לסיוע לרצועה@MoriahAsraf
— גלצ (@GLZRadio) May 26, 2021

“The goal- to come to an understanding regarding the ceasefire and possibilities for helping the [Gaza] Strip,” it added.
Blinken visited Cairo for several hours on Wednesday as part of a Middle East tour aimed at shoring up a ceasefire that ended the worst fighting in years between Israel and Palestinian militants.

He then went on to visit Jordan in the last leg of his Middle East tour.

Washington and Cairo agreed to strengthen their coordination in consolidating the ceasefire and launching the reconstruction process in the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian presidency said in its statement.