Palestinian president in Cairo to meet with Sisi

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Cairo Friday for a two-day visit, during which he will meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the state-owned Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported.

Abbas arrived from Doha, where he met with Khaled Meshaal, leader of Hamas, to discuss the situation in Gaza. Abbas was also in Jordan, where he met with King Abdullah II, according to MENA.

The Israeli aggression on Gaza, ongoing since June 27, has resulted in the deaths of 2090 people and the injury of 10,500, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

A statement issued by UNICEF on Thursday, reported 469 children have been killed in Gaza since early July, with at least nine more in the last 48 hours.

On Thursday, three of the Qassam Brigades’ founding members were also killed in Israeli strikes, including Mohamed Abu Shemaleh, Raed al-Attar, and Mohamed Barhoum, Hamas’ military wing said in an official statement. The group promised to make Israel “pay a high price for this vicious crime.”

On Friday, 18 Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel were executed in Gaza, MENA reported, as part of a crackdown on suspected informants.  Seven were gunned down in front of the Omari mosque in Palestine Square in a public execution, while the remaining 11 were killed at an abandoned police station near Gaza City.

Negotiations between the two sides in Cairo were halted again last week, followed by a series of Israeli air-strikes against Gaza on Tuesday.

Egypt has brokered sporadic and brief cease-fire agreements between both sides, but a permanent truce is yet to be reached.