Hamas-Israel summit fails to issue joint statement

At the Cairo Peace Summit hosted by Egypt on October 20 to discuss ways to de-escalate the conflict between Hamas and Israel and prevent the risk of the conflict spreading to the entire region, Arab leaders focused on the need to end tensions in the Gaza Strip and return to the negotiating table.

According to Ahram newspaper, differences in views between the Arab delegations and the European delegations hindered the process of issuing a joint statement of the conference.

Ahram quoted sources as saying that a joint statement had yet to be issued because European leaders demanded condemnation of Hamas and recognition of Israel's "right to self-defense".

Egyptian presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said the conference had achieved its goal of “enhancing understanding” among the participating countries. Representatives of the countries attending the conference shared similar views on a number of issues, including the need to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, the conference failed to reach a consensus on the “level of condemnation” and the call for a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, the United Nations is hoping a second convoy will be sent to the Gaza Strip on October 22, with a view to extending aid deliveries to the Palestinian coastal enclave next week.

A first convoy of 20 trucks carrying aid arrived in the Gaza Strip through Egypt's Rafah Border Crossing on October 21, however, efforts to deliver supplies to besieged Palestinian areas have been hampered by Israeli demands to verify the aid.

The 20-vehicle aid convoy announced by US President Joe Biden after his visit to Israel on October 18 was not subject to routine inspections.

In an interview with The Washington Post, on the sidelines of the Gaza peace summit in Cairo, UN Under-Secretary-General for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths revealed that negotiations are ongoing and if all goes well, a convoy of about 20 to 30 vehicles could be allowed into the Gaza Strip on October 22.

He also expressed hope that aid would only have to go through a preliminary inspection system, to ensure the continuity of humanitarian aid operations.

He added that it was vitally important that there were no barriers to cross-border aid. The United Nations said about 100 aid trucks a day were needed to meet basic needs in the Gaza Strip.