PLO’s Hussein Sheikh Meets U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf in Ramallah.

Ramallah: Hussein Sheikh, Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), met today in his office in Ramallah with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf. The meeting was attended by Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the official spokesperson for the Presidency, and Majdi Khaldi, diplomatic advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas. According to Palestine news and Information Agency - WAFA, both sides emphasized the urgent need to end the war on Gaza and condemned the recent crimes and massacres committed by the Israeli occupation forces in northern Gaza. They highlighted Israel's goals of forcibly displacing the Palestinian population and expressed a firm rejection of such actions. The sides also affirmed the importance of reopening border crossings to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, along with the necessity for an immediate humanitarian relief operation for the residents of the territory. Discussions also covered the return of the Pales tinian Authority to Gaza and the reunification of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The sides also discussed the prospect of reaching a ceasefire agreement and affirmed their commitment to work within a political solution framework. Leaf reaffirmed the U.S. administration's support for a political path that ensures peace, stability, and security across the region, ultimately leading to a two-state solution. She noted efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement to end the conflict, secure the release of hostages, and provide a sustainable increase in humanitarian assistance.