Netanyahu welcomes UN, Egypt mediation to prevent ‘Gaza collapse’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he welcomes mediation from the UN and Egypt to prevent a humanitarian collapse in the Gaza Strip, Israeli media said Tuesday. Netanyahu reportedly made the comments in a briefing to local journalists on Monday. Egypt and UN officials have been seeking a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, with Qatar providing humanitarian assistance, AFP said. Months of unrest along the Gaza border have led to fears of a fourth war since 2008 between Israel and Palestinian fighters in the blockaded enclave. “We are working to prevent forces getting into Israel to harm our soldiers and communities,” Netanyahu was  quoted by Haaretz daily as saying. “On the other hand, we’re working to prevent a humanitarian crisis, which is why we’re willing to accept the UN and Egyptian mediation efforts to achieve quiet and fix the electricity situation.”