Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Thursday called for intensifying efforts to achieve an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza to protect the Palestinian people, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

In a phone conversation, the two top diplomats urged mobilizing international efforts to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid and to tackle the roots of the crisis: leaving the Palestinian cause with no solution and without establishing an independent Palestinian state over long decades, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, Shoukry reviewed the Egyptian efforts that helped to prevent more bloodshed and allowed the delivery of aid in a sustainable way.

He also voiced worries about the expansion of the Israel-Hamas conflict to other areas which might endanger the stability of regional countries.

The two ministers stressed their "full rejection of any plans or procedures that aim to displace the Palestinians."

(Cover: A view of damage and destruction of the street following Israeli attacks in Gaza City, January 27, 2024. /CFP)