Cairo holds trilateral meetings to address aid entry, patient evacuations, and return of stranded Palestinians
Negotiators from Egypt, Qatar and Israel held talks in Cairo on Tuesday to discuss the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza as part of ongoing negotiations to reach a ceasefire and prisoner swap deal in the Palestinian enclave, Egyptian media said.
The state-affiliated Al-Qahera News channel, citing unnamed Egyptian sources, said the meetings aimed to coordinate the delivery of humanitarian assistance, the evacuation of patients, and the return of Palestinians stranded outside the territory.
“These talks are part of Egypt's efforts to overcome obstacles hindering a ceasefire agreement and to ensure adequate and appropriate aid reaches civilians in Gaza,” the sources said.
The discussions are expected to last two days and are reportedly showing “progress and consensus.”
Despite its participation in the talks, Israel continues to enforce a strict blockade on Gaza, allowing only minimal amounts of aid to enter – far below what is needed to meet the daily needs of Gaza's 2.4 million population.
At least 844 Palestinians have been killed and 5,604 others injured by Israeli army fire in Gaza since the application of an Israeli-crafted aid mechanism on May 27, the Health Ministry said.
The Cairo meetings followed talks on Monday between Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Palestinian and Israeli delegations to advance negotiations to reach a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in Gaza.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 58,500 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages and disease.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
