Sheikh Abdullah discusses Gaza crisis with leader of Israeli opposition

Minister of Foreign Affairs stresses need for ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in talks with Yair Lapid

Yair Lapid, the former Israeli prime minister who is now opposition leader, and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs, discuss the Gaza crisis. Wam

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Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has met Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid to discuss the crisis in Gaza.

Sheikh Abdullah and Mr Lapid discussed the latest developments in the region, with the UAE minister stressing the need for a ceasefire in Gaza, state news agency Wam reported on Thursday morning.

Israel’s war in Gaza, since the Hamas attacks on October 7 that killed about 1,200 people, is estimated to have resulted in the deaths of close to 35,000 Palestinians with more than 77,700 injured.

"[Sheikh Abdullah] pointed out the urgent importance of pushing towards finding a serious political horizon to resume negotiations to achieve comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution," Wam reported.

Sheikh Abdullah also spoke of the need to reach a ceasefire to avoid the conflict spreading across the region and ensure the end of escalating violence.

The priority is to end tension and violence, protect the lives of civilians and make all efforts to facilitate the flow of urgent humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip, he said.

So far the UAE has provided Palestinian people with aid totalling more than 22,436 tonnes, sent via 220 cargo planes and three ships. The relief packages were collected in the Egyptian city of Al Arish then brought into the Gaza Strip via lorries through the Rafah crossing.