Cairo, Doha weigh Gaza, Lebanon situation

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani discussed over the phone on Saturday the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. During the phone conversation, both ministers also looked into joint efforts exerted by Cairo and Doha to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, release prisoners and deliver unconditioned humanitarian and relief aid to the enclave, said the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in a statement. Egyptian good offices to ensure inter-Palestinian reconciliation by hosting Fatah and Hamas delegations in Cairo amid this delicate time and serious juncture, were also considered during the call, according to the statement. The Egyptian and Qatari foreign ministers, further, addressed the serious situation in Lebanon in the light of the Israeli occupation's continued aggression, underlining that it is essential to reach a ceasefire and empower Lebanese state bodies, chiefly the army. They also stressed that Lebanon's uni ty, sovereignty and territorial integrity must be kept intact, and that the Israeli occupation army must pull out of all Lebanese territories and ensure the safety of United Nations (UN) peacekeeping forces in Lebanon. Source: Kuwait News Agency