From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Egypt plays down role in mediating ceasefire
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEgypt on Wednesday urges Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in Gaza to halt their escalating conflict but plays down hopes of a Cairo-mediated truce.
Egypt, which signed a 1979 peace treaty with Israel, played a key role in mediating ceasefires in past wars between Hamas and the Jewish state.
But it has signaled a more hands-off approach in the latest conflict, which comes at a time of mounting tensions between the new government in Cairo and Hamas.
“There is no mediation, in the common sense of the word,” says Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Badr Abdelatty.
“Egyptian diplomatic efforts are aimed at immediately stopping Israeli aggression and ending all mutual violence. (Egyptian) contacts have not yet achieved a result.”
— AFP
The Times of Israel Community.