Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron confirmed in a phone call the dangers of any military escalation in Rafah in southern Gaza due to its disastrous implications for civilians. Presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy stated that the call between Macron and Sisi addressed ongoing efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, exchanging detainees, and facilitating humanitarian aid.
The two presidents stressed the "necessity for the concerned parties to collaborate to ensure progress that leads to stopping the bloodshed and alleviating the current humanitarian suffering in Gaza, in addition to advancing the two-state solution and establishing an independent Palestinian state, as it is the only path capable of achieving true security and sustainable stability in the region," according to the statement from the Egyptian presidency.
Sisi emphasized, according to the statement, Egypt's firm position against the displacement of Palestinians to Egypt in any form, which has full international consensus. Meanwhile, the French president reiterated his country's complete support for Egypt's position, with both leaders highlighting the "seriousness of any military escalation in Rafah due to its catastrophic humanitarian repercussions on approximately one and a half million Palestinians in Rafah." They warned of the dangers of the conflict expanding on a regional level, thus necessitating swift action towards ceasefire efforts and regional calm.
