Cairo, Jan 15, 2025, IANS

Cairo, Jan 15 (IANS) Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and US President Joe Biden held a phone conversation to discuss the intensive mediation efforts undertaken by Egypt, the US, and Qatar to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and exchange prisoners and detainees. During the conversation on Tuesday, both leaders stressed the importance of the concerned parties' commitment to overcoming obstacles and showing the necessary flexibility to reach an agreement, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement. Sisi emphasised the need to reach an immediate ceasefire agreement to put an end to the serious humanitarian suffering of the citizens in the Strip, and spare the region the consequences of expanding the conflict, Xinhua news agency reported. The two presidents also highlighted the importance of continuing to strengthen bilateral relations in all fields, especially given the strategic relations between the two countries. Earlier in the day, Qatar's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al Ansari confirmed that the Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha have reached an advanced stage. Over the past months, mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the US have failed to reach a new ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas since the first truce, which lasted a week in November 2023. Earlier, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said that it's time for Israel and Hamas to demonstrate the political will to swiftly reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, "which could have been reached several months ago, sparing civilians and innocents from the fate they have faced." Abdelatty made the remarks on Tuesday during a joint press conference with Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Xavier Bettel in Cairo, where they discussed regional issues and bilateral ties. The Egyptian foreign minister said that Egypt is working with Qatar and the US to accelerate reaching an Israel-Hamas deal. "We hope that will be soon," he told reporters. He pointed out that the anticipated deal "would include the release of Israeli hostages as well as the release of a group of Palestinian detainees and prisoners. It would also ensure full access to humanitarian and medical aid for the Gaza Strip." Doha has been hosting negotiations since early January to reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, whose fighting has been going on for over 15 months. The talks included delegations from the two warring parties and the three mediators: Qatar, Egypt, and the US.