Egypt has been in intensive contacts with parties concerned recently to push for the implementation of a ceasefire initiative in the Gaza Strip proposed by President Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday.
On Saturday morning, Mubarak held talks with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the Egyptian proposal.
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas holds a press conference after his meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at the Presidential House in Cairo, capital of Egypt, Jan. 10, 2008. [Xinhua]
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At a press conference following talks with Mubarak, Abbas urged Israel to accept the Egyptian plan in a bid to put an end to the conflict in the Palestinian enclave.
Abbas said that Israel must accept the Egyptian proposal or "face the responsibility over the conflict," noting the Egyptian proposal is the only way forward to end the Gaza crisis.
On Tuesday, during talks with visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy Mubarak presented a three-point proposal for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, which calls for an immediate ceasefire for a limited period to allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza and give Egypt time to continue its efforts to help reach a lasting truce.
Egypt would invite both Israel and the Palestinians for negotiation and help resume the inter-Palestinian reconciliation talks, according to the proposal.
The talks between Mubarak and Abbas is the second one since Israel launched offensive against the Palestinian enclave on Dec. 27.