Macron visits el-Arish to inspect key transit point for Gaza-bound aid
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Macron condemned on Monday the forced displacement of the people of the Gaza Strip and "Israel's" "annexation" of the occupied West Bank.
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Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (R) and French President Emmanuel Macron (C) shake hands upon arrival at el-Arish International Airport near Egypt's northeastern city of el-Arish in the north of the Sinai peninsula, on April 8, 2025. (AFP)
French President Emmanuel Macron during a visit to Egypt on Tuesday urged the immediate resumption of aid to Gaza and condemned the Israeli attack on aid workers.
"The situation today is intolerable," Macron said in the city of el-Arish near the border with Gaza, calling for "the resumption of humanitarian aid as quickly as possible" to the enclave. He also "strongly condemned" the Israeli attack on paramedics and aid workers last month, which saw the killing of 15 medics in an execution style.
Macron's remarks came during his visit to the Egyptian city of el-Arish, a vital transit point for Gaza-bound goods, to urge "Israel" to remove its blockade of relief delivery to the war-torn Palestinian enclave.
The French president visited a hospital in the port city, 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of the Gaza Strip, alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and talked with medical experts, as well as ill and injured Palestinians who had been evacuated.
Carrying red roses to offer to patients, the French president visited numerous hospitals and a children's play area as his office revealed his trip was intended to increase pressure on the Israeli occupation to "reopen crossing points for the delivery of humanitarian goods into Gaza."
On Monday, Macron condemned the forced displacement of the people of the Gaza Strip and "Israel's" annexation of the occupied West Bank.
During a joint press conference in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron urged an end to Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, making an “immediate appeal” to restore the ceasefire that has been in place since January 19.
The French president commended the Egyptian president's efforts to promote peace in the region, emphasizing their shared commitment to regional stability and the freedom of maritime navigation. He highlighted both countries' work toward a diplomatic resolution of the Iranian nuclear crisis, noting that the matter threatens the security of the entire region.
Macron also discussed the situation in Syria after the fall of the former regime, reaffirming France's support for a transitional process leading to a unified, stable, and sovereign Syria that is inclusive of all its people while rejecting foreign interference. He further emphasized France's commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty and stability, as well as the importance of respecting the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, alongside Lebanon’s efforts to regain its occupied territories.
Emergency department doctor Mahmud Mohammad Elshaer stated that the hospital had handled over 1,200 Palestinian patients since the war on Gaza began.
"Some days we can receive 100 patients, others 50," Elshaer explained, adding that many had undergone limb amputations or had eye or brain traumas.
Despite stalemate, ceasefire talks ongoing: Israeli media
Sources informed "Israel’s" Kan Channel that indirect negotiations between the Israeli occupation and Hamas are quietly ongoing, despite what appears to be a deadlock. Talks in recent days have been held under strict secrecy, with no media involvement, to facilitate progress behind the scenes.
According to these sources, proposals have included the release of 10 Israeli captives, along with Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American dual national. Hamas, however, has responded with a counterproposal to release only five captives.
Egypt is currently serving as the lead mediator in this phase of the negotiations. The latest Egyptian proposal, submitted to "Israel" last Thursday, calls for the release of eight living captives—more than previously agreed upon by the Movement in earlier rounds.
The Israeli occupation has not yet issued an official response.
Despite this, "Israel’s" official position still aligns with the American mediator Steve Witkoff’s proposal, which demands the release of 11 living hostages and the remains of 16 deceased individuals.
The Israeli regime received Egypt's updated proposal for a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip yesterday.
