Egypt demands halt to Israeli attacks on Palestinian territories

By Ibrahim El-Khazen

ISTANBUL (AA) - Egypt demanded an immediate stop to Israeli attacks on Palestinian territories Thursday and encouraged the international community to help ease tensions.

“Egypt is following with great concern the developments of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories in a number of cities in the West Bank and the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque over the past few days," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It urged “international powers to take urgent action to calm the situation and to encourage the Israeli and Palestinian sides to resume the peace process which is suspended since 2014."

A general strike Thursday paralyzed the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, during the mourning for Uday al-Tamimi, 22, who was killed late Wednesday by Israeli forces at the entrance to the settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim, east of Jerusalem.

The Palestinian National Liberation Movement Fatah, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, called for a comprehensive strike and an escalation of confrontations at all points of contact with the Israeli army.

Separate areas of the West Bank have witnessed a noticeable escalation and an increase in the pace of Israeli forces' operations since the beginning of 2022.

*Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report