Egypt, France warn against growing regional instability amid Gaza war

By Ibrahim al-Khazen

ISTANBUL (AA) – The leaders of Egypt and France warned Monday against growing instability in the Middle East amid a deadly Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.

President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi discussed during a phone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron the ongoing developments in the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

Both leaders reviewed efforts to reach an immediate and durable cease-fire in the Palestinian enclave and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid into the strip, the statement said.

The discussions also dwelt on a recent military escalation in the region following drone and missile attacks between Iran and Israel.

The two leaders warned of the danger of the region sliding into growing instability and underlined the need to exercise wisdom and utmost restraint in the region.

Israel has waged a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border Hamas attack on Oct. 7 last year, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

At least 34,151 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 77,00 others injured amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar