Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi stressed the need for concerted efforts to reduce tension in the Middle East region, seize the opportunity of the ongoing negotiations, and reach an agreement that stops the bloodshed and spares the region the consequences of escalation, stressing that the continuation of the war on the Gaza Strip drags the region into a vicious and dangerous cycle of instability.

This came during the Egyptian President's reception, today, Saturday, of Stéphane Le Foll, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, and his accompanying delegation, in the presence of Dr. Badr Abdel Aati, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs, according to what Counselor Dr. Ahmed Fahmy, the Egyptian Presidency Spokesperson, stated in an official statement.

The statement said that the Egyptian President pointed out the responsibility of the international community in terms of pressure to reduce escalation and address the roots of this conflict by establishing the Palestinian state and implementing the two-state solution, which the French Foreign Minister agreed with, stressing his country's full support for these efforts and the continuation of its intensive activity with the aim of ending the current state of regional tension.

The French Foreign Minister was keen to convey the greetings of President Emmanuel Macron to his Egyptian counterpart, noting that Macron had assigned him to conduct a regional tour to contribute to efforts to reduce tension and push towards calm, and that he would conclude his tour with a visit to Egypt to inform President Sisi of the results of the relevant French efforts, according to the statement.

In this context, the French Foreign Minister praised the vital role played by Egypt in the joint mediation with Qatar and the United States, with the aim of reaching an agreement to cease fire in the Gaza Strip and exchange detainees.

The statement added that the meeting also addressed affirming the strength and solidity of the Egyptian-French strategic partnership, and joint work to develop and deepen the frameworks of bilateral cooperation in various fields, in a way that achieves the interests of the two friendly peoples.