Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Monday asked US President Donald Trump to end the war in Gaza and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians.
“I make a special appeal to the US President, believing he is capable of stopping the war, delivering aid, and ending the suffering in the Gaza Strip,” Mr El Sisi said in a speech. “Mr Trump, please exert all efforts to end the war and deliver aid.”
Stressing that the situation in the Gaza Strip has become a tragedy, Mr El Sisi said that the largest possible amount of aid must be delivered to the people of Gaza.
The latest round of indirect ceasefire talks in Qatar between Israel and Hamas broke off last week with no deal in sight as mediators struggled to bridge the gaps between the sides.
Mr El Sisi said that since the start of the war Egypt has been keen to positively participate with other mediators, the US and Qatar, in the efforts to end the war, deliver aid and release hostages.
“The Egyptian stances have always been positive and called for ending the war, the two-state solution and finding a peaceful solution to the Palestinian cause,” he added.
He reiterated Egypt's stance, rejecting the forced displacement of the Palestinians from their land.
In his speech, the President assured the Egyptians that the country cannot play a negative role towards the Palestinians. “We are playing a respectable, honourable, sincere and honest role that will never change,” he added.
He added that Egypt was working to ensure the entry of the largest possible volume of aid into Gaza over the past months, but co-ordination between Israel and Egypt was needed to do so.
“We cannot deny aid to the enclave, but for aid to get in, co-ordination with the other side is needed,” Mr El Sisi said.
Aid lorries started moving towards Gaza from Egypt on Sunday after months of rising international pressure on Israel and warnings from humanitarian organisations of starvation spreading across the small, coastal Gaza Strip, arising from an Israeli blockade. Egypt also announced taking part in aid air drops.
But a long-term steady supply of aid is needed to counter the worsening hunger crisis in Gaza, UN aid agencies said.
The Gaza war was caused by Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 that left about 1,200 people dead. The assailants also took about 250 others hostage, of whom about 50 remain in captivity, including 20 who are believed to be still alive.
Israel's military response has killed nearly 59,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the ministry in Gaza.
