Cairo, Feb 5 : Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has stressed the need to reinvigorate the two-state solution as a basis for the comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue and the restoration of security and stability in the Middle East.


Sisi made the remarks on Sunday during a meeting here with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Stephane Sejourne, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement by the Egyptian Presidency.

The meeting focused on Egypt's efforts with various actors to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and provide access to humanitarian aid and relief to end the severe humanitarian catastrophe the people of Gaza have been enduring, the statement said.

The talks also emphasized the necessity for the international community to assume responsibility with regard to the implementation of the relevant international resolutions.

The French minister affirmed his country's commitment to coordinate with Egypt toward a permanent ceasefire and the exchange of detainees as the two countries believed it was important to prevent an expansion of the conflict.

Both sides also reiterated their categorical and unequivocal rejection of any measures or policies that aim to displace the Palestinians from their lands, according to the statement.

They also underscored the pivotal and irreplaceable role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in providing aid and relief to the people of the Gaza Strip.

The talks also touched on other political issues, such as the situation in Sudan, Libya, and the Red Sea.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been launching a large-scale military campaign against Hamas in Gaza to retaliate against a surprise attack by the Palestinian group on southern Israel, which claimed the lives of about 1,200 Israelis, according to the Israeli authorities.

The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 27,365, while 66,630 others were wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said Sunday.

/IANS