As the truce between Israel and Hamas was extended for another two days, Arab states and the European Union agreed on the need for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict during a meeting in Spain on Monday (local time). The two-state solution calls for establishing an independent nation of Palestine alongside that of Israel.

At the Union for the Mediterranean summit in Spain's Barcelona, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell stressed that the Palestinian Authority should rule Gaza, asserting that it was the only "viable solution", news agency Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will again go on a whirlwind trip to the Middle East and Europe from Monday to Saturday, the State Department said. He will visit Belgium, North Macedonia, Israel, the West Bank and the UAE.

(With inputs from agencies)