US, Egyptian presidents discuss situation in Gaza, humanitarian pause deal

US President Joe Biden and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi spoke over the phone on Wednesday and discussed the situation in Gaza and a four-day humanitarian pause deal between Israel and Hamas.

According to a statement from the Egyptian presidency, al-Sisi stressed the "necessity to leverage the current humanitarian truce to reach a lasting ceasefire and deliver the necessary quantities of relief aid and fuel to all areas" in the Gaza Strip.

He said that Egyptian efforts "emanate" from "keenness on ending the bloodshed and achieving stability in the region," according to the statement.

The two sides agreed to continue coordination and consultations in order to "capitalize on the current truce to reinforce security and stability in the region," it added.

Under the Israel-Hamas agreement, 50 Israelis held by Hamas will be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails.

The deal also includes a four-day pause in fighting and the entry of 300 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid, including fuel, into the Gaza Strip.

Israel estimates that at least 239 Israelis are being held by Hamas following its cross-border attack on Oct. 7.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks in the Gaza Strip following the Hamas attack, killing more than 14,500 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to health authorities in the enclave.

The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200.