In Beirut, Egyptian FM says Gaza truce needed to prevent wider war

Egypt’s foreign minister said Friday that an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip is needed to stop an escalation that could push the region into a wider war.

Badr Abdelaty’s comments in Beirut came as officials from Egypt, Qatar, Israel and the U.S. are holding talks in the Qatari capital of Doha in an attempt to end the war in Gaza.

Tension has been rising in the Middle East following the killing of the top military official of Hezbollah in an Israeli strike in Beirut’s southern suburbs and of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Iran and Hezbollah blamed Israel for Haniyeh's death and have vowed to retaliate.

“We confirm the importance of stopping the escalation and that the region does not slide to a comprehensive regional war,” Abdelaty told reporters after meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a key ally of Hezbollah.

“Egypt is exerting all possible efforts, as you know, to stop the escalation and to work to reach as much as possible an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip,” Abdelaty said.

Hezbollah and its allies in the region, mainly Houthi rebels in Yemen, have said they will stop attacking Israel once it ends its offensive in Gaza.