CAIRO – 21 August 2025: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s firm reject of any attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians as he spoke via phone with France’s President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday.
Sisi briefed his French counterpart on Egypt’s intensified efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, secure the release of captives and detainees, and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid amid a deepening humanitarian crisis.
Macron expressed his deep appreciation for Egypt’s efforts to end the war in Gaza.
Their call comes while Egypt and Qatar have submitted a joint ceasefire and hostage-prisoner swap proposal in Gaza, which was accepted by Hamas on Monday.
The mediators are waiting for Israel’s official response, expected by the end of the week.
Egypt has called for Israeli to approve the deal, which is based on a proposal put forward by US envoy Steve Witkoff earlier this year.
The new proposal includes a 60-day ceasefire, during which 10 living Israeli captives and 18 bodies, representing half of the total captives, would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, sources told Egypt’s Al Qahera News TV channel on Monday.
The plan also calls for the redeployment of Israeli forces to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid and the immediate launch of talks on a comprehensive agreement or permanent ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Israel on Wednesday approved a globally-condemned plan to occupy Gaza City, home to roughly one million Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip.
The plan includes objectives such as establishing full Israeli security control over the enclave, a step widely viewed by Arab nations as a “reoccupation” of Gaza.
Cairo and the rest of the Arab and Muslim worlds as well as much of the international community including European nations have rejected Israeli and US plans to relocate Gazan civilians southward toward Egypt.
Earlier in August, Sisi reaffirmed his condemnation of Israel’s “war of starvation and genocide,” emphasizing that Egypt—serving as a key gateway for humanitarian aid into Gaza—will not facilitate the displacement of Palestinians from their land.
Over the past 22 months of war, Israeli military operations in Gaza have killed more than 62,000 people, including nearly 2,000 individuals seeking humanitarian aid, and injured over 156,500 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The Israeli reoccupation plan has drawn sharp criticism across the Arab world and from key international partners, including several of Israel’s Western allies.
The ongoing escalation has further intensified concerns about the deepening humanitarian crisis. The conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s population and pushed the territory to the brink of famine, with dozens of deaths already attributed to starvation.
The war in Gaza has prompted several countries, including the United Kingdom, Malta, Canada and Australia, to announce their intention to recognize the Palestinian State during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September.
France led the initiative with Macron emphasizing in July that the move contributes to the security of all in the region.
Establishing Palestinian State
During his call with Macron, the Egyptian president expressed his firm rejection of any attempts to undermine the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights—chief among them, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Sisi reiterated his welcome of France’s declared intention to recognize the State of Palestine in September, describing the move as a significant step forward in achieving justice for the Palestinian people and upholding their rights.
Macron, for his part, emphasized the importance of reaching a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian cause based on the two-state solution and relevant international legitimacy resolutions.
The French president also stressed the urgent need to launch Gaza’s reconstruction process.
The two leaders affirmed their commitment to continued coordination and closer cooperation between Egypt and France, particularly in light of the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East and their shared vision on a range of regional and international issues.
Sisi and Macron underscored the depth of the strategic partnership between the two nations.
They reaffirmed the importance of continuing joint efforts to strengthen all aspects of cooperation and to activate the strategic partnership agreement between the two countries, particularly in the economic, trade, and investment sectors.
Thu, Aug. 21, 2025
