Egypt, Lebanon agree Gaza ceasefire would avert wider Mideast war

CAIRO, Egypt and Lebanon agreed on Tuesday that a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is the only way to avoid a full-scale war in the Middle East, saying the measure was necessary to put a halt to the worsening violence in the wider region. In the midst of a surge in violence along Lebanon's border with Israel, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told a press conference, alongside his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah BouHabib, that Cairo supports all measures that aim to protect the "sovereignty and security" of Beirut. The Egyptian foreign minister warned of the prospect that the situation could "spiral out of control," underlining that any attempt to further escalate the violence would result in more bloodshed, subsequently plunging the region into greater upheaval. He went on to highlight the "critical juncture" of his Lebanese counterpart's visit, at a time where Israeli occupation forces have "waged war" against the Gaza Strip, which the Egyptian top diplomat said would have "severe repercussions" on the s ecurity and stability of the region. Addressing the press conference, the Lebanese foreign minister said that the "Israeli escalation of violence" undermines efforts to bring peace to the wider region, citing a ceasefire in Gaza as the "first step" to end the violence in the Middle East in a bid to avoid a full-fledged regional war. The Lebanese foreign minister, whose visit to Cairo comes as part of global efforts to contain the violence in the Middle East, expressed his appreciation for Egypt's continued support for Beirut given the unrest in the region, saying such backing was instrumental in avoiding a large-scale war. Source : Kuwait News Agency