Egypt urges Middle East countries to avoid expanding conflict in Gaza Strip

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has said all parties in the Middle East region should avoid expanding the conflict in the Gaza Strip, as it could lead to “greater instability” and jeopardize security in the region.

Abdelatty made the remarks during telephone talks with his Iranian counterpart Ali Bagheri Kani, Caliber.Az reprots, citing foreign media.

“The world community has now more acutely realised than ever before that the war in Gaza must be stopped and a deal must be struck to exchange hostages for prisoners,” Egyptian Foreign Ministry quotes Abdelatty as saying.

He warned that “all parties in the region must now avoid expanding the conflict” as this would only lead to “more instability” and jeopardize security in the Middle East.

For his part, Iran's acting foreign minister expressed Abdelatty’s appreciation for Egypt's efforts to end the armed conflict in Gaza, and expressed readiness to continue intensive contacts with Cairo for the sake of stabilizing the situation in the region.

More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, said the Gaza Health Ministry.

Israel’s offensive has also wounded 92,401 people and displaced over 85% of the population from their homes, the ministry said. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its toll.

The conflict began October 7 after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people — most of them civilians — and dragging roughly 250 hostages to Gaza.

Israel says 111 of the captives have not been released, including the bodies of 39. The hostages include 15 women and two children under the age of 5.

In Gaza, health officials have struggled to fully identify the dead as bodies stream into overwhelmed hospitals and morgues where they say the count is compiled amid the chaos of war and displacement.