El-Sisi presented Abbas with the latest Egyptian efforts to support the Palestinian cause Abbas renewed his readiness to form a national unity government “whose parties accept international legitimacy” CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi told his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas that Cairo will continue its moves for the return of the Palestinian Authority to the Gaza Strip. El-Sisi presented Abbas with the latest Egyptian efforts to support the Palestinian cause, stressing adherence to the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. El-Sisi also briefed Abbas during a phone call on the results of his meeting last month with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, during which El-Sisi stressed the need to advance peace efforts and confidence-building measures, and to provide an appropriate atmosphere to launch a political process in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions. The Egyptian president stressed that Cairo “attaches great importance to the unification of the Palestinian house, and that it will continue its movements and efforts for the return of the Palestinian Authority to the Gaza Strip, and the start of the reconstruction process.” Israel has tightened its siege on the Gaza Strip — home to some two million Palestinians — since Hamas took control in 2007. El-Sisi stressed the continuation of Egyptian efforts to revive the peace process to restore the rights of the Palestinian people, and to restore security and stability in the region. El-Sisi said: “Egypt’s tireless efforts towards the Palestinian cause continue in close coordination with the Palestinian brothers, with the aim of revitalizing the file of the peace process in order to restore the rights of the Palestinian people and enhance security and stability in the region.” The Abbas expressed his thanks to his Egyptian counterpart for the efforts made by his country to support the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights to freedom and independence. Abbas stressed the Palestinian side’s readiness to work in accordance with international legitimacy in order to end the occupation and establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Abbas renewed his readiness to form a national unity government “whose parties accept international legitimacy,” he also congratulated El-Sisi on the anniversary of victory in the October 1973 war. The phone call came after a meeting that took place between the head of Egyptian intelligence, Maj. Gen. Abbas Kamel, and the Hamas delegation in Cairo. Hamas said that the meeting of the head of its political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, with Kamel was conducted “in a positive atmosphere and mutual understanding,” adding that they discussed the developments in the Palestinian cause and the region in general. Cairo handles a number of issues regarding Palestine, including the consolidation of the truce, the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, mediation between Israel and Hamas in prisoner exchanges, and national reconciliation.