Arab Ministers Back Egypt Truce Efforts for Gaza
Arab Ministers Back Egypt Truce Efforts for Gaza
Arab ministers gave their backing on Saturday to Egyptian efforts to secure a truce that would end Israel’s offensive on Gaza, they said in a statement after an Arab League meeting in Cairo.
Arab foreign ministers also agreed to form a delegation to travel to the Palestinian enclave in a show of support. League chief Nabil Elaraby told reporters he would lead the team and that the trip was expected to take place in “one or two days”.
Ministers meeting at the Cairo-based headquarters had said Arab states had to take practical steps to support Palestinians in Gaza.
Israel launched a massive air campaign on Wednesday with the declared goal of deterring Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that runs the Gaza Strip, from launching rockets that have plagued its southern communities for years.
In the statement, ministers condemned what they called Israeli “aggression” and also expressed “complete discontent” at the U.N. Security Council’s failure to bring about a ceasefire.