CAIRO, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and U.S. President Joe Biden held a phone conversation on Tuesday to discuss the intensive mediation efforts undertaken by Egypt, the United States, and Qatar to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and exchange prisoners and detainees.
During the conversation, both leaders stressed the importance of the concerned parties' commitment to overcoming obstacles and showing the necessary flexibility to reach an agreement, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
Sisi emphasized the need to reach an immediate ceasefire agreement to put an end to the serious humanitarian suffering of the citizens in the Strip, and spare the region the consequences of expanding the conflict.
The two presidents also highlighted the importance of continuing to strengthen bilateral relations in all fields, especially given the strategic relations between the two countries.
Earlier in the day, Qatar's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al Ansari confirmed that the Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha have reached an advanced stage.
Over the past months, mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have failed to reach a new ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas since the first truce, which lasted a week in November 2023. ■
