France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a press conference following a summit for "coalition of the willing" at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, on March 27, 2025. AFP
President Macron will arrive in Egypt on Sunday evening for a two-day visit, starting Monday, to engage in discussions focused on restoring a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as well as efforts for Gaza's reconstruction.
He is scheduled to meet local officials in Arish to discuss the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to the Élysée Palace.
Governor Meghawer told ON TV that Macron’s visit to Arish carries significant political weight, reiterating France’s stance on preventing Palestinian displacement.
“Macron has consistently stressed that his visit to Arish aims to reaffirm France’s firm opposition to displacing Palestinians,” Meghawer said.
Macron will also participate in a trilateral summit in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Jordanian King Abdullah II to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced that the summit will prioritize de-escalation and the swift delivery of humanitarian aid.
Macron’s visit agenda
Meghawer outlined the visit’s agenda, noting that Macron’s trip marks the first visit by a European president to North Sinai.
Macron will tour the Red Crescent’s storing facilities in Arish, which houses international aid for Gaza, pending entrance to the genocide-devastated strip.
Since October 2023, Egypt has designated Arish International Airport as a hub for receiving international humanitarian aid to Gaza, calling upon the international community willing to offer humanitarian aid to the Palestinians to route their aid to the airport.
The French president will also visit Arish General Hospital to check on injured Palestinians, with many having been transferred to Egyptian hospitals through the Rafah border crossing since the onset of the Israeli war on Gaza.
Egypt received hundreds of Palestinians injured through North Sinai's Rafah.
According to officials, more than 1,500 Palestinians have been treated in Egyptian hospitals, with over 2,100 accompanying individuals.
Macron’s visit will conclude with a press conference in Arish.
Egypt has consistently opposed the displacement of Palestinians, calling it an "injustice" and refusing to participate in any such efforts, putting Cairo at odds with Israel and, often, the US.
On Friday, an Israeli security forum revealed Tel Aviv’s plans to cantonize Gaza into "humanitarian islands" under Israeli control, fragmenting the strip and keeping it under Israeli occupation.
The Israeli Defense and Security Forum (IDSF) proposed creating "displaced persons’ cities" across Gaza. A "temporary" Israeli-linked body, controlled by Israel's National Security Council and funded by international governments, organizations, and private donors, would govern these cities. This plan would place Gaza under complete Israeli oversight, short of formal annexation.
On 18 March, Israel renewed its genocidal war on Gaza — unilaterally ending the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the US — killing over 1,300 Palestinians and injuring more than 3,000 others, mostly women and children.
Earlier, on 2 March, Israel reinforced its deadly blockade on the strip, preventing the entry of humanitarian aid, medical supplies, and nutritional supplements, which poses a severe threat to the Palestinian population, especially children, and could lead to catastrophic outcomes.
Since October 2023, over 50,600 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli occupation forces, with more than 114,000 others injured, predominantly women and children.
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