Khaberni - Sheikh Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayeb is heading to Italy on Saturday to participate in a global peace conference, and he will meet for the first time with Pope Leo XIV to discuss the importance of strengthening the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
This was stated in a declaration from Al-Azhar without specifying the duration of the visit, while the meeting between Sheikh Al-Azhar and the Pope of the Catholic Church is the first of its kind since the latter's appointment as successor to Pope Francis, according to Anadolu Agency.
Sheikh Al-Azhar had previously congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election on May 8, and a week later, the first call between them occurred before the papal inauguration ceremonies on the 18th of the same month.
Al-Azhar mentioned in a statement that El-Tayeb "is heading to the Italian capital, Rome on Saturday for an official visit to participate in the works of the global conference organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio under the title 'Finding the courage to seek peace'."
The statement explained that the conference is "attended by a number of leaders and decision-makers, including Pope Leo XIV, the Pope of the Catholic Church, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, along with a group of religious icons and thinkers from around the world."
According to the statement, it is scheduled for El-Tayeb "to deliver a keynote speech at the opening session of the conference, emphasizing the importance of achieving peace based on justice, and the ethical and human responsibility of religious leaders to work towards ending conflicts and wars."
The statement added: Sheikh Al-Azhar will meet Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Catholic Church, and several prominent religious leaders and thinkers participating in this global summit, to discuss the most important current issues in the religious and international arenas.
The meetings will discuss "the enhancement of the voice of religions to stop what our world today witnesses of crises, wars, and conflicts, particularly the aggression on Gaza and the West Bank," according to a statement from Al-Azhar.
It will also affirm "the importance of commitment to the peace agreement hosted by Sharm El-Sheikh as a fundamental step towards establishing security and stability in the region and the world," according to the same statement.
On October 10th, the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the exchange of prisoners between Israel and Hamas entered into effect, according to a plan by President Donald Trump that includes, along with stopping the war, a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, mutual release of prisoners, immediate entry of aid into the sector, and disarmament of the movement.
The agreement ended a two-year genocide supported by the USA, resulting in the martyrdom of 68,280 Palestinians, wounding 170,375 others, and destruction of 90 percent of the urban infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.
