Israel FM proposes ‘economy in exchange for calm’ in Gaza

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has proposed improving living conditions in the besieged Gaza Strip in return for calm.

This came during a trip to neighbouring Egypt yesterday where Lapid met with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry to discuss a host of issues, Israel Kan TV channel reported.

For his part, Al-Sisi affirmed his country’s continued efforts “to achieve a comprehensive and just peace in the Middle East, based on the two-state solution and the international agreements.

Israeli i24 channel quoted Al-Arabiya TV as saying that the Egyptian president has sent a message to Israel asking it to show goodwill and break the deadlock over the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

Al-Sisi has also asked Tel Aviv to show more flexibility regarding the prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.

READ: Hamas mulls escalation with Israel, accuses Egypt of delaying Gaza reconstruction