Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi praised US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan on Monday, as negotiators from Hamas, Israel and the United States converged on Egypt to discuss a hostage-prisoner exchange and ceasefire.
“I can only extend my praise and appreciation for US President Donald Trump for his initiative that seeks a ceasefire in Gaza after two years of war, genocide, killing and destruction,” Sisi said in an address to mark the 1973 war between Israel and Egypt that led to the end of Israel’s occupation of the Sinai peninsula.
“A ceasefire, the return of prisoners and detainees, the reconstruction of Gaza and the launch of a peaceful political process that leads to the establishment and recognition of the Palestinian state means we are on the right path to lasting peace and stability,” he said.
The Yom Kippur War paved the way to the Camp David Accords in 1979, which saw Egypt become the first Arab country to establish formal ties with Israel.
Sisi on Monday praised the accord, calling it the foundation of future peace deals in the region and saying it must be strengthened.
“Peace imposed by force only generates strife, while peace built on justice is what produces true normalisation,” he said.
Egypt has acted as a key mediator between Hamas and Israel, along with Qatar and the United States.
It has also repeatedly warned against threats to its national security, namely the prospect of any forced mass displacement of Palestinians into its territory.
“The Egyptian army is committed to its mission to protect the country and preserve its borders and is not afraid of challenges,” Sisi said.
Since the Camp David Accords, Egypt has been one of the highest recipients of US military aid.
The treaty also ushered in decades of close security cooperation between Egypt and Israel.
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© Agence France-Presse
