<b>Live updates: Follow the latest on </b><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/11/15/live-israel-lebanon-baalbek/" target="_blank"><b>Israel-Gaza</b></a> <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/ireland/" target="_blank">Ireland</a>'s President Michael D Higgins and Prime Minister Simon Harris met Egyptian President <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/abdel-fattah-el-sisi/" target="_blank">Abdel Fattah El Sisi</a> for talks on the war in <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/gaza/" target="_blank">Gaza</a> and enhancing bilateral ties on Wednesday. The leaders discussed the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/middle-east/" target="_blank">Middle East</a> situation, including the political upheaval in <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/syria/" target="_blank">Syria</a>, according to Mr Higgins's office. “The outrageous suffering in the absence of a ceasefire in Gaza was the central part of their discussion,” the statement added. Mr Harris said in a post on LinkedIn “We also spoke of Irish / Egyptian relations and a number of important consular and trade matters.” There had also been “agreement on the need to expand international recognition of the Palestinian state”, said Egyptian presidential spokesman Mohamed El Shenawy. Ireland is among several European countries which in May formally recognised the state of Palestine, drawing anger from Israel. Mr El Sisi praised Dublin's “courageous positions in support of the Palestinian cause,” Mr Shenawy added. Eight Gazan children and their families, currently in <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/egypt" target="_blank">Egypt</a>, will soon be medically evacuated to Ireland, the Irish statement said. The Dublin visit was the final leg of a European tour by Mr El Sisi that included visits to <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/norway/" target="_blank">Norway</a> and <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/denmark/" target="_blank">Denmark</a>. It marked the first trip to Ireland by Mr El Sisi since Hosni Mubarak visited in 2006.