Egypt to host Israeli-Palestinian meeting in support of truce ahead of Ramadan

Egypt will host Israeli and Palestinian officials in Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday for talks aimed at calming escalating violence that has raised fears of a worsening situation by Ramadan this weekend.

The meeting, which is also supported by the United States and Jordan, follows a Feb. 26 U.S.-brokered meeting in Aqaba, Jordan, the first of its kind in years.

The Aqaba meeting resulted in Israeli and Palestinian pledges of de-escalation.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the Sharm el-Sheikh meeting comes "with the aim of supporting dialogue between the Palestinian and Israeli sides to work to stop unilateral measures and escalation, break the existing cycle of violence and achieve calm. This paves the way for the creation of a suitable atmosphere that contributes to the resumption of the peace process."