Cairo, Egypt – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi stressed that there is no real peace in the Middle East without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
This came on the 52nd anniversary of the October 6 War.
Sisi also stressed in a speech he delivered on Monday that “the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the start of a path to establishing a Palestinian state means that we are moving towards lasting peace.”
He added, “I reassure the Egyptian people that the army is based on its mission to protect its country and preserve its borders. It is not afraid of challenges”.
He also warned that “regional situations can no longer tolerate laxity, which requires that we be responsible”.
Just peace
The Egyptian President believed that “peace between Egypt and Israel was not just an agreement. Rather, it was the establishment of a just peace that consolidated stability”.
He explained that “peace imposed by force only generates tension. In contrast, peace built by justice results in true normalization and sustainable coexistence among peoples”.
Sisi also saluted US President Donald Trump for his initiative to seek a ceasefire in Gaza.
Indirect talks
These statements came as delegations from Hamas, Israel and the United States are expected to start indirect talks in Egypt on Monday.
These talks aim at achieving the release of hostages held in Gaza. They also hope to put an end to the war that has been ongoing for nearly two years in the devastated Palestinian Strip.
Negotiators are expected to meet in Sharm El-Sheikh on the eve of the second anniversary of Hamas’ attack. This attack was on Israeli settlements and military bases. It occurred in the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, and sparked the bloody Israeli war on Gaza.