Ahead of negotiations on the Gaza war, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi has praised US President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan.
In a televised address on Monday, al-Sissi thanked Trump for helping to initiate a ceasefire after “two years of war, genocide, killing and destruction.”
He said the ceasefire, along with the release of hostages and prisoners and steps toward recognising a Palestinian state, indicated that “we are on the right path to lasting peace and lasting stability.”
Al-Sissi made the remarks during Egypt’s Armed Forces Day, celebrated annually on Oct. 6, marking the day in 1973 when Egypt and Syria, alongside Arab allies, launched an offensive to reclaim territory lost to Israel in the 1967 war.
Egypt and Israel later signed a peace treaty in 1979.
With the ongoing conflict in Gaza, Egypt has expressed concerns about its national security.
Talks in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh were initially expected to centre on the release of the remaining 48 hostages in exchange for a ceasefire, as well as the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
However, contentious issues such as the disarmament of Hamas and an Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza remain unresolved.
(NAN)