Middle East | Egypt, France call for Gaza ceasefire deal

Cairo: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and visiting French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne stressed here on Saturday the importance of seizing the opportunity of the ongoing negotiations to reach a Gaza ceasefire deal, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency.

“Reaching a deal will prevent bloodshed and regional escalation,” Sisi said during his meeting with Sejourne. He warned that continued conflict in Gaza could lead the region into a vicious and dangerous cycle of instability.

During his visit to Egypt, the final stop of his regional tour, Sejourne also attended a press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on Saturday, which was broadcast by state-run Nile TV.

Abdelatty reiterated that achieving a ceasefire in Gaza in light of a comprehensive agreement to end the conflict is essential for mitigating regional escalation.

The Egyptian minister noted that there is now an opportunity to put an end to the daily “massacre” in Gaza, adding that “it is time to start immediately the ceasefire based on political pillars that achieve the establishment of a Palestinian state.”

Abdelatty also called on France to play an influential and active role in easing regional conflicts, Xinhua news agency reported.

For his part, Sejourne hailed Egypt’s diplomatic efforts to stop the war in Gaza and provide humanitarian aid. He noted that he was tasked by the French president to visit the region and contribute to reducing regional tensions and pushing for calm.

On Friday, Qatar, the United States, and Egypt said in a joint statement that the Gaza ceasefire talks had made “constructive” progress.

The statement added that relevant parties would continue their efforts in the coming days to negotiate the details of the deal’s implementation.

The three countries have been mediating an agreement between Hamas and Israel over the Gaza conflict. Multiple rounds of ceasefire discussions in recent months have yielded no results.