Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi extended an invitation to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to make an official visit to Cairo in coming weeks.

The invitation was transmitted in person by Egyptian Intelligence Minister Abbas Kamel, who visited Israel on Wednesday and met with Bennett in Jerusalem.

The last Israeli prime minister to make an official visit to Egypt was Binyamin Netanyahu, who met with the late Hosni Mubarak in Cairo in 2011. However, Netanyahu reportedly secretly met with Al-Sisi in Egypt in 2018.

Bennett and Kamel discussed the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas and other issues.

Egypt has played a key mediation role between Israel and Hamas over the years.

The most recent war ended in May, but the sides appear to have reached no agreements beyond a halt in fighting.

Hamas demands an easing in an Israeli-Egyptian blockade that has crippled the local economy and the resumption of hundreds of millions of dollars of badly needed assistance from Qatar. Israel has demanded the return of the remains of two soldiers killed in a 2014 war as well as two Israeli civilians believed to be held by Hamas.

Hamas in recent weeks allowed supporters to send incendiary balloons into Israel and more recently a rocket was fired into Israel this week, the first time since the war. Israel did not respond, a possible signal that diplomatic efforts are picking up.

Bennett, who often accused his predecessor, Netanyahu, of being too soft on Hamas, came under criticism Wednesday for the show of restraint. But at a news conference, he defended his decision, saying he would not allow Israel’s enemies to determine its actions.

“We will react in the time, place and conditions that suit us,” he said.

Bennett’s office gave few details about Wednesday’s talks with Kamel, saying they focused on mutual security and economic issues as well as “Egyptian media in the Gaza security situation.”

Bennett said Kamel extended an invitation on behalf of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. He gave no further details.

Later Wednesday, Kamel visited Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank. Israel and the U.S. have said they would like to bolster Abbas in his rivalry with Hamas.

Hamas has controlled Gaza since ousting Abbas’ forces in 2007, a year after it defeated his Fatah party in Palestinian parliamentary elections.

Abbas’ office said that he and Kamel “reviewed the latest developments in the Palestinian territories, and ways to strengthen bilateral relations and achieve stability and peace in the region.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem & AP)