CAIRO, October 15. /TASS/. Israel’s response to Hamas’ actions goes beyond its right for self-defense and is equal to collective punishment, President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said during the meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Cairo.
"The reaction went beyond the right to self-defense, turning into collective punishment for 2.3 million people in Gaza," the president said, according to Al Arabiya.
He also underscored the need to simplify the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, adding that "a delay in resolution of the Palestinian issue will leaded to a growing number of casualties."
The President noted that "repeated rounds of escalation in the Gaza Strip resulted in 12,500 Palestinians killed."
He assured Blinken that Egypt "exerts efforts to contain the situation in Gaza and to ensure that other sides do not join the conflict."
In turn, the Secretary of State noted that it is necessary to work together in order to overcome the current crisis. He underscored that the Palestinians must implement their rights, but not in accordance with the Hamas’ approach.
The US Secretary of State arrived in Cairo within his Middle Eastern trip. Amid the Palestinian-Israeli escalation, he departed on a trip that covers almost all key regional actors, and has already visited Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. On Monday, he is expected to return to Israel for further consultations.