Speaking virtually at the extraordinary summit of heads of state and government of BRICS member states, convened at the invitation of Brazil to discuss current international developments, Sisi said that Cairo is making strenuous efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.
He continued: "For nearly two years, Israel has been practicing the most heinous forms of killing and terror, using starvation and denial of health services as weapons against civilians, leading to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe that has led the United Nations to declare a state of famine in Gaza."
He added, "Israel did not stop there, but rather expanded its military operations in Gaza, further destroying the foundations of life with the aim of forcing Palestinians to leave their land, implementing a plan for forced displacement, and liquidating their just cause."
He reiterated his country's categorical rejection of any scenario "aimed at displacing Palestinians from their land, under any pretext, as this represents an attempt to liquidate the Palestinian cause, thwart the two-state solution, expand the scope of the conflict, and threaten the peace process in the Middle East."
Sisi stated that "Egypt has made, and continues to make, strenuous efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire, ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, and release prisoners, in preparation for the next day's arrangements for managing and rebuilding the Gaza Strip."
In a separate statement, the Egyptian presidency indicated that Sisi, during his meeting with US Central Command Commander Brad Cooper in Cairo, in the presence of Egyptian Defense Minister Abdel Meguid Saqr, emphasized the importance of a ceasefire in Gaza and containing the escalation in the Middle East.
The visit of the commander of the US Central Command to Egypt (of an unspecified duration) comes after a visit to Israel, and then on Sunday to Lebanon.
Cooper conveyed the greetings of US President Donald Trump to his Egyptian counterpart, who appreciated the sentiments and praised the deep historical relations between the two countries, according to the same statement.
During the meeting, Sisi highlighted "the importance of the Bright Star 2025 maneuvers, currently taking place in Egypt, as an extension of the close security and defense cooperation between the two countries."
On August 28, the joint Egyptian-American military training exercise, known as "Bright Star," began at a military base in western Egypt, with the participation of 44 countries. The exercise is scheduled to conclude on September 10.
The meeting between Sisi and Cooper witnessed "agreement on the need to continue close coordination between the two countries, with the aim of containing escalation in the Middle East and strengthening efforts to maintain security, peace, and stability, especially in light of current security challenges."
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The two sides also discussed "developments in the Gaza Strip," with Sisi stressing "the importance of the mediation undertaken by Egypt, the United States, and Qatar, with the aim of achieving an immediate ceasefire, ensuring the release of hostages and prisoners, and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Strip," according to a presidential statement.
Sisi stressed that "Egypt will continue its intensive efforts to achieve calm and reduce tensions on a sustainable basis, as a prelude to reviving the political process and achieving a lasting and just peace in the Middle East."
The meeting also discussed "developments in several countries in the region, and emphasized the importance of continuing cooperation and coordination between Egypt and the United States to contain regional escalation and support effective and sustainable political solutions to existing crises."
Meanwhile, Egypt and Saudi Arabia on Monday evening rejected the Israeli escalation in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
This came during a phone call between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty and his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, according to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
The two ministers expressed their "categorical rejection of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the crimes committed by Israel against the defenseless Palestinian people, and the systematic starvation."
A few days ago, Israel began a gradual demolition campaign of high-rise residential buildings in Gaza City, increasing the number of displaced families and forcing them into harsh displacement conditions. Observers warn that the goal is to forcibly displace Palestinians southward, as part of a broader Israeli-American plan to displace them from the Strip.
The two ministers also discussed "efforts to achieve a ceasefire and ensure unhindered access for humanitarian and relief aid." They also addressed "the dangerous Israeli escalation in the occupied West Bank, including illegal settlement expansion," stressing "their absolute rejection of these practices, which constitute a serious violation of international law."
With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement. It has ignored all international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt the operation, in addition to its attacks in Lebanon, Syria, and before that, Iran.
The Israeli genocide in Gaza left 64,522 Palestinians dead and 163,096 wounded, most of them children and women. Hundreds of thousands were displaced, and a famine killed 393 Palestinians, including 140 children.
In parallel with the war of extermination in Gaza, the Israeli occupation army and settlers have escalated their attacks in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,019 Palestinians, the injury of approximately 7,000 others, and the arrest of more than 19,000, according to Palestinian data.
