CAIRO, Egypt
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi emphasized Monday the importance of reaching an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, during a joint press conference with his French counterpart Emmanuel macron in Cairo.
"I reiterate
unequivocally that achieving sustainable peace and stability in the Middle east
will remain a far-fetched issue as long as the Palestinian case is not settled
fairly," said el-Sissi.
The two leaders also discussed
the situation in Syria, emphasizing the importance "of preserving Syria's
unity" in its transitional political period, as well as "restoring
the normal flow of ships in the Egyptian Suez canal," following targeted
attacks on ships by Israel due to the continuation of the war in Gaza.
Macron was in Egypt on Monday
to meet with el-Sissi and later with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, close Western
allies who are also calling for a ceasefire.
Macron's visit - his second to
Cairo since the war in Gaza erupted following Hamas attack on southern Israel
on October 7, 2023 - came at a critical time for the Middle East, after Israel
last month reimposed a blockade in Gaza and resumed its fighting against Hamas,
shattering the fragile ceasefire in the strip.
The French president will
travel to the city of el-Arish on Tuesday “to call for a return to a ceasefire
that will benefit the release of all hostages and the security of the Gazan
population, as well as the reopening of crossing points for the delivery of
humanitarian aid to Gaza,” Macron’s office said in a statement ahead of his
trip to Cairo.
Israel ended its truce with
Hamas last month and cut off all imports of food, fuel and humanitarian aid to
the territory’s 2 million Palestinians to try and pressure Hamas to accept new
terms in their ceasefire agreement.
Egypt and the Gulf nation of
Qatar have served as key mediators with Hamas.
The war, now in its 18th
month, started when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023,
killing some 1,200 people, and taking 251 others hostage. The group still holds
59 captives — 24 of whom are believed to be alive.
Israel's retaliatory offensive
in the territory has killed over 50,000 Palestinians, mostly women and
children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
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