The Arab Republic of Egypt condemns the grave Israeli escalation in Lebanon and the extensive military operations that have led to the death and injury of hundreds of Lebanese people, including women and children. Egypt expresses its sincere solidarity with Lebanon and its brotherly people, and its sympathies to the families of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured, and affirming its categorical rejection of any violations of the sovereignty of Lebanon and its territories. Egypt has previously warned of the gravity of the continued Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, and the danger of its expansion, which puts the region at risk of sliding into a full-fledged regional war. While Egypt continues its efforts towards achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and containing the dangers resulting from the war there, it calls in this context on world powers and the United Nations Security Council to immediately intervene to halt the Israeli escalation in the region which jeopardizes the fate of its peoples and undermines prospects for peace. Egypt also calls for a peaceful settlement of the crisis, an immediate de-escalation, and the start of the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 with no selectivity, and allowing for diplomatic solutions, especially since military escalation will only exacerbate the crisis. Source: State Information Service Egypt