El-Sisi briefed Macron on Egypt’s mediation efforts, including attempts to secure a ceasefire, facilitate a prisoner and hostage exchange, and push for more humanitarian aid in the besieged Gaza Strip. He also welcomed France’s support for Palestinian rights.
The Egyptian president stressed that the creation of a Palestinian state, based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, remains the only path to sustainable peace.
The call comes ahead of an international peace conference on Palestinian statehood, co-organized by France and Saudi Arabia, set to take place at the United Nations headquarters in New York later this month, which Egypt supports.
Macron reiterated France’s support for Egypt’s role in de-escalation efforts and praised Cairo’s humanitarian initiatives, including the treatment of injured Palestinians and aid deliveries.
He also referred to his visit to Egypt last April, during which he witnessed some of those efforts first-hand.
Beyond Gaza, the two leaders discussed the importance of maintaining coordination on regional issues, particularly given the ongoing instability across the Middle East.
They also reviewed bilateral ties, expressing satisfaction with the progress made since Macron’s April visit, which saw the relationship elevated to a strategic partnership. Both sides were in favour of deeper cooperation, particularly through increased French investment and business involvement in Egypt.
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