Macron to hold Gaza summit with Egyptian, Jordanian leaders

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said he would hold a trilateral summit on the situation in Gaza with Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

Israel has pushed  to seize territory in Gaza since the collapse of a short-lived truce in its war with Hamas, in what it has called a strategy to force the militants to free hostages still in captivity.

Read more: Palestinian paramedic says he saw Israeli troops firing on emergency vehicles

Simultaneously, Israel has escalated attacks on Lebanon and Syria.

“In response to the Gaza emergency and during my visit to Egypt at President al-Sisi’s invitation, we will hold a trilateral summit with the Egyptian president and the King of Jordan,” Macron wrote on X ahead of his trip.

The French president is expected in Cairo on Sunday evening, where he will hold talks with his Egyptian counterpart on Monday morning.

The trilateral summit will be held the same day in the Egyptian capital, according to Macron’s office.

On Tuesday, Macron will also visit the Egyptian port of El-Arish, 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the Gaza Strip, to meet humanitarian and security workers and demonstrate his “constant mobilisation in favour of a ceasefire”.

El-Arish is a transit point for international aid intended for Gaza.