Ankara: Egypt's Intelligence Chief Hassan Rashad met with senior Israeli officials on Tuesday, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for discussions focused on the Gaza ceasefire.

According to Anadolu Agency, Netanyahu's office stated that the prime minister engaged in talks with Rashad in Jerusalem to deliberate on the implementation of US President Donald Trump's Gaza ceasefire plan. The discussions also covered bilateral relations and other regional issues. Additionally, Rashad met with his Israeli counterpart, Shin Bet Chief David Zini, as reported by the public broadcaster KAN.

Egypt's state-run Al-Qahera News channel reported that Rashad's talks in Israel also addressed the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. During his visit, the Egyptian intelligence chief is scheduled to meet with US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff.

This visit marks the first by a senior Egyptian official to Israel since Tel Aviv's war on Gaza in October 2023. The ceasefire agreement, which took effect on October 10 in Gaza, is based on a phased plan presented by US President Donald Trump. The initial phase included the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

The plan also envisions the reconstruction of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas. Since October 2023, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 68,200 people and injuries to more than 170,300, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.