Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday stressed the need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to be implemented immediately, without waiting for a formal agreement to be signed, during a meeting with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Sisi expressed his appreciation for the “tireless efforts” of US President Trump in this regard and said he looked forward to the agreement being signed as soon as possible, a statement from the Egyptian presidency said.
The US envoys thanked the president and the relevant Egyptian agencies for their significant efforts in reaching the agreement. They noted the strong and strategic relations between Egypt and the United States and affirmed that President Trump values President Sisi’s role in resolving this crisis and in the region in general, as well as the friendship between them.
The meeting at the Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo was also attended by Egypt’s General Intelligence Service (GIS) chief, Hassan Rashad, and the US Ambassador to Cairo, Herro Mustafa Garg.
During the meeting, Sisi stressed that the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip must be implemented immediately, without waiting for the relevant agreement to be signed.
He affirmed that Egypt looks forward to continued cooperation with the United States to implement the agreement, which is based on President Trump’s plan. He also reiterated Egypt’s commitment to working closely with the US to complete their partnership on the path to peace in the Middle East, which Egypt initiated and the US sponsored since the 1970s.
Sisi praised the roles of the American, Qatari, and Turkish sides in supporting Egypt’s mediation efforts in the Sharm El-Sheikh negotiations. He emphasised that ending the war and achieving peace in Gaza and the region is a shared goal for all countries and peoples.
The president stated that Egypt will continue to work with the US and other mediators and parties to implement what has been agreed upon, including the ceasefire, the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages and prisoners.
For their part, Witkoff and Kushner reiterated the United States’ appreciation for the pivotal role Egypt played in ending the war and restoring stability to the region.
Sisi again stressed that Egypt values and supports President Trump’s efforts to end conflicts and establish peace in the Middle East and the world. He renewed his invitation to President Trump to visit Egypt to witness the signing of this “historic agreement in a ceremony befitting the event.”
