Egypt accuses Israeli minister of sabotaging Gaza ceasefire talks

Egypt said on Monday that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is sabotaging Gaza ceasefire talks in Cairo, reported Xinhua.

On Saturday, Smotrich called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to send an Israeli representative to Cairo for hostage talks, according to the Times of Israel news website.

In a statement released on Monday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Smotrich "continues to make irresponsible and inflammatory statements, which only reveal a hunger for killing and destruction, and sabotage any attempt to contain the crisis in the Gaza Strip."

The ministry considered that "such statements are completely unacceptable, as Egypt has complete control over its territory and does not allow any party to involve Egypt's name in any failed attempt to justify its shortcomings."

Egypt is hosting new rounds of negotiations, under Egyptian-Qatari sponsorship, with the goal of bringing calm to the Gaza Strip and releasing Palestinian prisoners and Israeli detainees.