President El-Sisi and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Photo by Egyptian Presidency
In a press conference with Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, El-Sisi said, "We stressed that it was important for the international community to adopt and support a plan for reconstructing Gaza without displacing the Palestinians -- I repeat, without displacing Palestinians from their lands."
He also reaffirmed the urgent need to implement the three-phase ceasefire agreement fully.
Furthermore, the Egyptian president called for the continued exchange of hostages and prisoners and the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of Gaza's population.
He also stressed the need to launch relief and early recovery efforts immediately.
Cairo has been developing a comprehensive plan for the immediate reconstruction of the strip without any displacement of the Palestinian people.
Egypt is hosting an emergency Arab Summit on 4 March to address what it termed "the serious developments in the Palestinian cause" and counter US President Donald Trump's recent proposals to seize control of Gaza and deport the Palestinians to Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab and Muslim countries.
Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinians, and Arab countries have categorically rejected all of Trump's proposals, urging international recognition of the Palestinian state based on the two-state solution.
During the press conference, El-Sisi affirmed Egypt's support for the work of the international humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, particularly the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
He said the UNRWA's role "remains indispensable in delivering essential humanitarian services to the Palestinian people."
For his part, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez confirmed that Spain backs the Arab Summit initiative, led by Egypt, to support the reconstruction of Gaza.
In addition, Sánchez reiterated Spain's firm rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians, asserting that the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza is unethical and constitutes a violation of international law.
He also reaffirmed Madrid's commitment to political efforts that reinforce the two-state solution, noting that the region is experiencing complex challenges due to the repercussions of the situation in Gaza.
In return, the Egyptian president commended Spain's "courageous decision to stand for what is right and just by recognizing the State of Palestine and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people."
Bilateral relations
Following their talks, the Egyptian president and the Spanish PM signed a declaration upgrading Egypt-Spain relations to a strategic partnership. They also witnessed the signing of multiple memorandums of understanding (MOUs) across various fields.
In this regard, El-Sisi said, "Our goal is to deepen economic and investment cooperation and increase trade exchange between the two countries."
He also emphasized the need to boost Spanish investments in Egypt and build on the success of Spanish companies already operating there.
In addition, the Egyptian president expressed Egypt's eagerness to expand cooperation in localizing industries across various sectors, including renewable energy, transportation, telecommunications, and information technology.
He highlighted the importance of exchanging expertise in water resource management and stressed that water security remains a critical national priority for Egypt.
El-Sisi's current visit is his second to Spain. It demonstrates a strong commitment to deepening the historical ties and fruitful cooperation between the two nations.
Short link: