During a phone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, El-Sisi warned against any Israeli plan in this regard.

According to the text, El-Sisi stressed that Cairo’s stance is being supported by full international consensus.

Both leaders agreed upon the pressing need to make progress on an agreement that would lead to “stopping the bloodshed and easing the ongoing human suffering in the Gaza Strip”.

In this regard, they discussed efforts to reach a ceasefire, including a prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel and increased humanitarian aid.

They also urged for the establishment of an independent Palestinian State as the only way to achieve real security and sustainable stability in the Middle East.

Both Macron and El-Sisi strongly rejected the Israeli army’s planned ground invasion over the overcrowded city of Rafah, where more than 1.4 million Gazans are being taken refuge.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri reaffirmed on Saturday: “we have no intention of providing secure areas or facilities to the Palestinians, but if that is the case, we will deal with it with the necessary humanity.”

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