Macron to hold talks on Gaza with Sisi, King Abdullah during Egypt visit

CAIRO – 6 April 2025: French President Emmanuel Macron stated that his visit to Egypt this week will include a trilateral summit with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and King Abdullah II of Jordan, addressing the urgent situation in Gaza.

Macron is scheduled to arrive in Egypt on Sunday for a visit aimed at encouraging a ceasefire in Gaza, discussing various regional issues and enhancing various aspects of Egypt-French relations.

The visit is expected to witness the signing of a strategic partnership between Egypt and France, similar to the one Egypt signed with the European Union last year, according to a spokeswoman at the Elysee Palace.

Marcon will meet with President Sisi on Monday. On Tuesday, he plans to travel to Arish city in North Sinai, 50 km from Gaza, to highlight concerns over the ongoing war.

According to AFP, he will meet with humanitarian and security workers to emphasize his "constant mobilization in favor of a ceasefire," as stated by his office.

His visit to Arish, a transit point for Gaza-bound aid, comes a month after Israel’s decision to suspend assistance to the war-battered enclave after the first phase of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expired on 1 March.

Two weeks later, Israel shattered a ceasefire that persisted for two months in Gaza and brought home 38 captives, 30 of them alive.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a phone call Saturday from French President Emmanuel Macron, where both leaders discussed developments in Gaza Strip.#مصر_ترفض_التهجير #Egypt #Palestine #MiddleEast #Israel #GAZA | #تحيا_مصر #مصر #فلسطين #إسرائيل #غزة… pic.twitter.com/u3S2zHKaCH

— Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) April 6, 2025

Israel resumed Gaza war on 18 March, killing more than 1,300 people, including many women and children, raising the death toll among Palestinians since the war began in October 2023 to over 50,600.

During his visit, Macron will stress the urgency of securing a new ceasefire to prevent further "humanitarian catastrophe" for the people of Gaza.

He will call for an end to Israeli strikes and the release of Israeli captives still held in Gaza.

A draft accord regarding the treatment of Palestinian wounded patients brought out of Gaza is expected to be signed during the visit, according to AFP.

Egypt, a mediator in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, has been advocating for an end to the war while, alongside Jordan, has been facing US-Israeli plans to displace Gaza residents to both Arab states.

In response to the potential displacement, an extraordinary Arab summit in March endorsed an Egyptian plan for early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, ensuring that Palestinians remain on their land while their homes are rebuilt.

I just spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin @Netanyahu.

The release of all hostages and Israel’s security are a priority for France.

I called on the Israeli Prime Minister to end the strikes on Gaza and to return to the ceasefire, which Hamas must accept.…

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 30, 2025

France has expressed support for the Arab plan, stating it “offers a serious, credible basis for immediately addressing reconstruction, governance, and security needs in the aftermath of the war in Gaza.”

Late in March, Macron held a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reaffirming France’s commitment to the Arab reconstruction plan.

During the call, he warned that any forced displacement or annexation in Gaza will undermine the prospects for a two-state solution, which is “the only path to peace and security for both peoples.”

Macron urged Netanyahu to end strikes on Gaza and to return to a ceasefire while emphasizing the immediate resumption of humanitarian aid.