Azhar Grand Imam, UAE President urge Gaza ceasefire, solution to Palestinian cause

CAIRO – 16 March 2024: The Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Ahmed El-Tayeb, and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, have emphasized the importance of ongoing Arab, Islamic, and international efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.

In a phone call, they also urged the pursuit of a fair and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause while highlighting the need to deliver aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza.

During the conversation, Tayeb expressed Al Azhar's gratitude for the UAE's tireless endeavors in promoting peace, brotherhood, and tolerance.

He also commended Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed's efforts in providing humanitarian and relief aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

In return, the Emirati president praised the Grand Imam's initiatives to enhance peace, brotherhood, and human coexistence, as well as his contributions to providing religious education to Muslim children and fostering enlightened Islamic thought.

For weeks, mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have attempted to reach a ceasefire in Gaza after more than five months of Israeli warfare.

Egyptian officials, Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Mossad Director David Barnea will meet in Doha on Sunday to resume the ceasefire talks.

According to the health ministry in Gaza, the war has resulted in the loss of 31,553 lives and the injury of 73,546 people.

Tragically, 27 children have also died in recent days due to malnutrition and the lack of infant formula.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi emphasized on Friday, during a visit to the Police Academy, that the aid entering Gaza, whether through ground or air means, remains far from sufficient to meet the population's needs.

He expressed his hope that a ceasefire could be achieved within the next few days, enabling the delivery of a maximum amount of aid to prevent a famine in Gaza.

He noted that Gaza requires thousands of tons of humanitarian aid daily to meet the need of the population.