Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, warned in a phone call on Saturday that ongoing Israeli escalation in the region could have catastrophic consequences for regional security and stability.
According to a statement from the Egyptian presidency, the two leaders stressed that the current approach to the conflict could expose the resources of the region’s peoples to grave danger and risked plunging the entire Middle East into “overwhelming chaos” with consequences for all nations.
Egyptian Presidency Spokesperson Mohamed El Shennawy said the leaders emphasised the need for an immediate halt to military actions. They also called for a return to negotiations between the United States and Iran, with Omani mediation, describing it as the only path to a peaceful resolution of the current crisis.
The spokesperson added that Sisi stressed the need for a comprehensive approach to address all security concerns related to nuclear non-proliferation in the region. This would involve achieving the universality of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and establishing a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction that includes all countries in the region.
The two presidents also discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip. The spokesman said Sisi reiterated that a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue, through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, is the “only guarantee” for achieving lasting peace and stability.
Sisi called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, a position the Turkish president supported. The leaders affirmed their complete rejection of the displacement of Palestinians from their land or the “liquidation of the Palestinian cause,” and agreed to continue consultation and joint work to restore regional stability.
