French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday evening that he discussed with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi the details of a mediation aimed at achieving a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians, and that they are seeking Jordan's support for this initiative. During a press conference following an international conference to assist Sudan, Macron stated that this mediation "is one of the elements that could lead to a ceasefire, the basic condition for uniting Palestinian factions and ensuring that violence does not occur."
Before the conference, Macron held an extensive bilateral meeting with Sisi, which largely focused on the conflict in the Middle East. The French president said, "We decided to hold discussions in the coming days with the King of Jordan to explore how to present a concrete proposal in this regard." According to diplomatic sources, the United Nations launched on Monday, with the help of Qatar and Egypt, an initiative aimed at containing the escalation.
French government spokesperson Gabriel Attal stated on Monday morning, "There has been active diplomatic movement in recent days that will continue in the coming hours. We support the idea of Egyptian mediation because the Egyptians and Jordanians are talking to everyone in the region." He clarified, "Our objectives are, first and foremost, to achieve a ceasefire as quickly as possible and then to find a lasting solution to stabilize the region. This is what we will work on with the Egyptians, Jordanians, and Germans."
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian also noted that "the response to these unacceptable attacks must remain proportional within the framework of international law," according to the French Foreign Ministry. When asked about the Israeli strikes that destroyed a building in Gaza housing the offices of the Associated Press and Al Jazeera, Macron stated that he is awaiting clarifications from Israel, emphasizing that the protection of journalists in conflicts is a "fundamental" responsibility. He added, "We are awaiting an Israeli response regarding the targets of this strike, and I will undoubtedly address this issue with (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu tomorrow or the day after."
On Friday, Macron called for the "return of peace" to the Middle East, reaffirming during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "Israel's right to defend itself," while expressing his "concern for civilian populations in Gaza." On Thursday, he spoke with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, "strongly condemning the launching of rockets by Hamas and other terrorist groups" and extending his "sympathies for the significant loss of Palestinian civilian lives due to military operations and ongoing clashes with Israel."
Egypt, which signed a peace treaty with Israel and shares a border with Gaza, regularly undertakes mediation missions in conflicts between Israel and the Palestinians. The meeting between Macron and Sisi took place before the start of an international conference on alleviating Sudan's debt in Paris, attended by African, European, and Gulf leaders, along with representatives from international organizations.
