Egypt and Qatar discuss Gaza ceasefire efforts amid fresh Israeli strikes

CAIRO – 20 March 2025: Egypt and Qatar have discussed their joint efforts to solidify the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, as renewed Israeli airstrikes on the enclave have killed hundreds of casualties over the past two days.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty and Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani held a phone call on Wednesday to address developments in Gaza.

They conferred on the two countries’ endeavors to ensure the successful implementation of all three phases of the ceasefire agreement.

Additionally, they discussed the promotion of the Arab-Islamic plan for the early recovery of Gaza and preparations for the planned international conference for Gaza reconstruction in Cairo.

The discussions come as Israel has launched extensive airstrikes on Gaza since Tuesday, killing hundreds in that timeframe.

The Israeli military also announced on Wednesday the resumption of ground operations in the central and southern Gaza Strip, extending to the Netzarim Corridor that bisects the region.

According to the Gaza health ministry, 506 people have been killed, including 200 children and 112 women, over the past 48 hours, bringing the total death toll since the start of the Israeli war in October 2023 to over 49,600.

In recent weeks, Egypt and Qatar have intensified their efforts to secure the continuation of the ceasefire they brokered along with the US to halt a devastating war that displaced most of population and left the enclave on brink of famine.

The ceasefire, which took effect on January 19, has now been shattered by the recent Israeli strikes, bringing an uncertain future for the captives still held by Hamas in Gaza.

Hamas has expressed readiness to free all captives it still holds in exchange for a permanent end to the Israeli war but Tel Aviv instead has been pushing for a ceasefire extension in exchange for the release of more captives.

In remarks on Tuesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that Israeli forces will strike Hamas with "increasing force," stating that future ceasefire talks, facilitated by mediators, will "only take place under fire."