Egyptian, U.S. leaders stress need to increase aid for Gaza

CAIRO, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday agreed on the need to increase aid sustainably to Gaza.

During a phone conversation, the two presidents agreed that the aid should enter Gaza in a tangible, effective, and sustainable manner and in quantities that meet the humanitarian needs of the Gazan people, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.

Al-Sisi stressed Egypt's firm position of rejecting the policies of collective punishment and forced displacement, reiterating that Egypt will never allow the displacement of the Palestinians from Gaza to Egyptian territories.

For his part, Biden confirmed that the U.S. rejects the displacement of the Palestinians outside their lands, expressing appreciation for the positive role Egypt has played in addressing this crisis.

They also touched on prospects for joint cooperation to mobilize international efforts toward reviving the peace process, with the aim of implementing the two-state solution and establishing a Palestinian state.

The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, firing thousands of rockets and infiltrating Israeli territory, to which Israel responded with massive airstrikes, ground operations, and punitive measures, including a siege on the Gaza Strip with supplies of water, electricity, fuel, and other necessities being cut off.

The Israel-Hamas conflict, as it entered the 23rd day, has killed more than 8,000 Palestinians in Gaza and at least 1,400 people in Israel, according to official figures from both sides.