Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said on Monday that Egypt will continue its efforts to extend ceasefire between Gaza Palestinians and Israel and help Palestinians reach reconciliation.

Mubarak made the comments in his speech at the first Arab Economic, Social and Development Summit in Kuwait, which is started here Monday noon, to tackle the Gaza situation in addition to the impact of global financial crisis, infrastructure and social issues in the Arab world.

The Egyptian president said that Egypt has made great efforts to support and help the Palestinians since the beginning of the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, including proposing ceasefire deal to mediate conflicts, delivering aid into the strip, receiving wounded Palestinians for treatment in Egyptian hospitals and facilitating Palestinian reconciliation.

He told the summit that Egypt has so far sent more than 3,000 tons of aid including food, water and other relief goods to Gaza.

Egypt respects the Palestinians' resistance against aggression and their right to fight occupation, he stressed, adding it needs a practical solution to end the killing of Gazan people, not only "statements of condemnation" of the Israeli offensive.

Mubarak expressed his concern over the difference in the Arab world, saying some sides aimed to separate the Arabs while others wanted to use the Gaza tragedy to expand their control in the Arab world, adding the Arab nations need to have a united stance.

He said he believed Arab countries will solve the differences and take into account their joint goals and interests.

Moreover, the Egyptian president also called on Israel to seriously consider the Arab peace initiative, as realizing peace in the Middle East is an urgent need that cannot wait.

Heads of state and other officials of Arab nations, together with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, gathered at the summit with the slogan of "In Solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza."

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2009)