Egypt mediating to restore calm to Gaza amid Israeli airstrikes

ISTANBUL (AA) – Egypt said it is making contacts to restore calm to the Gaza Strip amid Israeli airstrikes on the Palestinian territory.

A statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Cairo was “conducting intensive communications” to “contain the situation in Gaza” and “preserve lives and property.”

The statement did not provide any further details, but an Egyptian official told the local channel Extra News that Cairo was communicating with Israel and Palestinian authorities to end the current escalation in Gaza.

“Egypt is conducting intensive communications with the Palestinian and Israeli sides to end the current escalation in Gaza and to contain the situation,” said the official, who preferred to remain unnamed.

“Our goal is the continuation of the ceasefire, the stability of the region, and the safeguarding of potentials for peace,” he added.

Islamic Jihad group confirmed receiving calls from Egypt and the UN to end escalation in Gaza.

“It’s still premature to talk about efforts [to restore] calm,” group spokesman Daoud Shehab said.

“We still have a lot to do to respond to this aggression,” he added.

Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Friday citing “imminent threat of attack” by Islamic Jihad.

At least 12 Palestinians, including a 5-year-old girl, were killed and 84 others injured in the Israeli attacks, according to the Health Ministry.

On Monday, Israeli forces detained Bassam al-Saadi, a senior leader of Islamic Jihad in a raid in the West Bank city of Jenin.

The Israeli army has imposed restrictions on the Gaza Strip, including the closure of border crossings with the Palestinian territory.

Last year, Egypt managed to broker a ceasefire in Gaza after 11 days of Israeli airstrikes on the seaside territory during which more than 200 Palestinians were killed and thousands injured.