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French President Emmanuel Macron, US President Donald Trump, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II held a call on Monday to discuss the situation in Gaza, the French presidency said.
Although details of the call were not made public, it came as Mr Macron visited Cairo for a summit on Gaza with Mr El Sisi and King Abdullah. A joint declaration to upgrade relations between France and Egypt to the level of a strategic partnership was also signed.
Mr Macron and Mr El Sisi witnessed the signing of several agreements at Al Ittihadiya Presidential Palace on Monday after a round of talks on French-Egyptian relations and economic ties.
International concern is growing over the situation in Gaza, where violence has surged and civilians are bearing the brunt of Israel's war on the enclave.
During a joint press conference, both leaders called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the enclave.
"We reject any calls for the displacement of Palestinians from their land,” Mr El Sisi said. He reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to the Arab plan for Gaza's postwar reconstruction.
"We agreed to co-ordinate efforts for the upcoming Gaza reconstruction conference that Egypt intends to host once hostilities cease,” he added.
Mr Macron said France and Egypt shared a vision for the region. "We condemn the Israeli escalation, which has had catastrophic consequences for civilians,” he said. "Hamas must not have any role in Gaza’s governance moving forward, as it continues to pose a threat to Israel.”
Mr El Sisi and Mr Macron held talks on the situation in Gaza with King Abdullah in the early afternoon, when the call with Mr Trump took place. The monarch did not make any public remarks after the meeting, but the Royal Hashemite Court issued a statement adding his voice to the calls by Mr El Sisi and Mr Macron for a ceasefire in Gaza and for sustained humanitarian aid deliveries.
Mr Macron is expected to visit the North Sinai port city of Al Arish on Tuesday, where he will discuss aid for Gaza with local officials.
The two leaders also expressed their support for Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun and its government. They also underscored the importance of all of Syrian society being represented by the new government there, particularly non-Muslim religious minorities.
The newly signed declaration to elevate Egypt-France relations to a strategic partnership encompasses a wide variety of areas for increased co-operation.
Both leaders emphasised the importance of bolstering economic ties, with a particular focus on localising railway manufacturing, expanding technical and vocational training, and enhancing collaboration in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, cyber security and green hydrogen production.
Mr Macron highlighted France's commitment to supporting Egypt's 2030 development agenda through investments by French companies and financial assistance from the French Development Agency, which has so far provided €4 billion ($4.39 billion) in funding since 2006.
The partnership also prioritises educational collaboration, including the expansion of francophone schools in Egypt, the reform of the French University in Egypt and cultural ties through archaeological projects and artistic exchanges, Mr Macron said.
Mr El Sisi affirmed Egypt's commitment to helping the EU fight illegal immigration and requested increased support for its efforts, noting that the country currently hosts more than nine million refugees and plays a critical role in regional migration management.
He called on partner countries to recognise the strain this places on Egypt’s resources and to provide greater financial and logistical assistance to combat illegal migration and support refugees.
Mr Macron and Mr El Sisi then closed the Egyptian-French Business Forum, which was held at Al Massah Hotel to facilitate talks between the business communities of both countries. Mr Macron arrived with a delegation of French business people who came to explore investment opportunities in the Egyptian market.
During his speech at the forum's closing, Mr Macron highlighted that a part of the strategic partnership would be renewed efforts to increase the number of Egyptians who speak French, which he said would make them more valuable employees for international companies operating in Egypt.
After the forum, Mr Macron was escorted to Adly Mansour transit station, a newly built transport centre that connects the city's metro to the recently launched Cairo Light Rail Transit (LRT). France paid for and operates the train through its state-owned RATP Dev subsidiary, a branch of the RATP Group specialising in international transport operations and maintenance.
RATP Dev has been managing the Cairo Metro Line 3 since 2020 and the LRT since 2022, marking a significant collaboration between France and Egypt in modernising public transport infrastructure.
The French President took a ceremonial ride on the Cairo metro, escorted by Mr El Sisi.
Mr Macron arrived in Egypt on Sunday night for a two-day official visit. He was received by Mr El Sisi at Al Ittihadiya Presidential Palace on Sunday evening, before being taken on a cultural tour. The French leader visited the Grand Egyptian Museum and the historic Khan El Khalili bazaar in Old Cairo.
Mr Macron will also visit the French University in Egypt and close the first day of the Higher Education and Scientific Research Conference at Cairo University.
He arrived in Cairo accompanied by a fleet of Rafale fighter jets. Egypt signed a deal in 2021 for the purchase of 30 of the French-made warplanes.
"Arrived in Egypt with proud flight companions: Egyptian Rafales, a strong symbol of our strategic co-operation,” Mr Macron said on X.
