Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a phone call on Wednesday from French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the war in Gaza and bilateral ties. According to a statement by the Egyptian presidency, the two leaders reviewed "the distinguished bilateral relations" between Egypt and France and reaffirmed the importance of activating their strategic partnership, especially in economic, trade and investment fields. President El-Sisi outlined Egypt's ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza, secure the release of hostages and prisoners, and allow humanitarian aid into the territory. He repeated Egypt's opposition to any attempts to displace Palestinians from their land and reiterated support for an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Macron expressed appreciation for Egypt's mediation and stressed the need for a just and lasting settlement to the conflict based on the two-state solution. He also highlighted France's plan to recognise a Palestinian state in September, a step President El-Sisi welcomed as an important move toward granting Palestinians their rights. Both leaders agreed to continue close coordination on regional developments, the presidency statement said. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
