President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met with Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union Commission, on Saturday to discuss the latest developments in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
According to Ahmed Fahmy, the spokesperson of the Egyptian presidency, Al-Sisi and von der Leyen agreed on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the protection of civilians, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, who are suffering from the Israeli military escalation. Al-Sisi also briefed von der Leyen on Egypt’s efforts to treat the injured Palestinians and evacuate the foreign nationals from Gaza.
President Al-Sisi stressed the need for the international community to shoulder its responsibilities and implement the resolutions of the Security Council and the UN General Assembly in this regard. He also reviewed the efforts being carried out by Egypt in that context, as well as the reception of injured Palestinians and the evacuation of foreign nationals.
For her part, the president of the European Commission presented her assessment of the developments in the situation in Gaza and expressed the EU’s great appreciation for the essential role played by Egypt in this regard.
During the meeting, President Al-Sisi also stressed Egypt’s categorical rejection of the displacement of Palestinians, whether internally or externally, especially to the Egyptian territories in Sinai. The president of the European Commission agreed with him, confirming the European position of rejecting the displacement.
The two sides stressed that the only solution to the Palestinian issue lies in achieving a comprehensive and just peace based on the two-state solution in accordance with the approved international references.
The meeting also touched upon ways to strengthen cooperation relations between Egypt and the EU, in light of the close ties between the two parties. They agreed to continue working to enhance these relations and push them to broader horizons in various fields.
President Al-Sisi also received on Saturday the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sebastian Lecornu, in the presence of Mohamed Zaki, Minister of Defence and Military Production.
The meeting came within the framework of the French side’s keenness to brief the president on the results of his regional tour over the past few days, in light of international efforts to calm the situation in the region.
The meeting also reflected the French side’s interest in coordinating with Egypt in this regard, in connection with the close relations between the two countries and the pivotal role of Egypt, on the political and humanitarian tracks, to stop the bloodshed of Palestinian brothers in the Gaza Strip, reach a ceasefire, protect civilians, and provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.
