The Arab League has called for the United Nations Security Council to provide âprotectionâ for Gazans ahead of an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers to discuss ways to de-escalate the latest conflict between Hamas and Israel.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry has coordinated with his Kuwaiti counterpart ahead the emergency meeting at the Arab scheduled for Monday night to discuss the crisis in Gaza. Kuwait is the current President of the Arab Summit.
Shoukry spoke with Kuwaiti Foreign minister Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah by telephone ahead of the emergency meeting, which aims to âdiscuss the grave situation in the occupied Palestinian territories in light of the continued Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Stripâ. The ministers are also expected to âwork on the immediate cessation of the bloodshed of innocent Palestinian civilians and the formulation of a unified Arab stanceâ.
Ahead of Mondayâs meeting in Cairo Arab League Secretary General Nabil El-Araby said via social media: âthe aggression on Gaza is an aggression against the Arab people because the Palestinian issue is the core issue in the Arab worldâ. He called on the UN Security Council to âprovide the necessary protection for the defenceless Palestinian people in Gaza and to end the Israeli occupationâ.
Egypt, the United Kingdom and France joined the Security Council on Sunday in calling for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel and a return to the November 2012 ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt and the United States.
Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas official said there have been âtalks in all directionsâ adding there has been ânothing concrete yetâ. He stressed, âWe consider Egyptâs role is essential in any agreement and Egypt has a historic roleâ in regards to the Palestinian cause.
Hamas political bureau member Mousa Abu Marzouq said on Sunday via social media that any truce with Israel would be âa warriorâs restâ. He stressed that Hamas âwill continue with the help Godâ.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week: âNo international pressure will prevent us from operating with full force against a terrorist organisation that calls for our destruction.â
Additional reporting by Jihad Abaza