Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit on Sunday held talks with a visiting delegation of the European Union (EU)'s top diplomats on the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip.
Abul Gheit said at a press conference following the talks that they mainly discussed the latest developments in Gaza, which has been under intensive Israeli attacks in the past nine days.
The EU delegation, grouping the foreign ministers of the Czech Republic, France and Sweden plus the EU External Relations Commissioner, is currently on a Mideast tour in a bid to promote a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave.
Abul Gheit said he explained to the EU top diplomats the Egyptian view on means of ending the ongoing Israeli attacks and reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, reported the Egyptian MENA news agency.
Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, whose country holds the current rotating EU presidency, said the EU is keen on exerting effort to reach a ceasefire and help relieve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the Israeli decision to launch ground operation in Gaza was a "dangerous military escalation."
Terming the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "unbearable," Kouchner said the EU is exerting efforts to find a solution to the suffering in Gaza.
EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner also stressed the importance of reach a solution to the situation in Gaza, saying the European body "is exerting tireless efforts" to help find a way out to the conflicts.
On Sunday, Israel intensified strikes on Gaza for the ninth consecutive day, a day after its army carried out a large-scale ground operation into the enclave, leaving 514 people killed and some 2,600 injured since Dec. 27.