CAIRO, July 3 (MENA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty stressed during a phone call Thursday with French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot the need for the international community to shoulder its responsibilities to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the West Bank.

The call also addressed the latest regional developments and ways to strengthen the strategic relations between the two friendly countries, foreign ministry spokesman Tamim Khalaf said.

The two ministers affirmed their joint commitment to enhancing all aspects of bilateral relations and elevating them to broader horizons, in light of the strategic partnership between the two countries, he added.

According to Khalaf, Abdelatty discussed with his French counterpart the developments in the Gaza Strip, efforts aimed at resuming and sustaining Gaza ceasefire and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian and relief aid, referring to Egypt’s aspiration to host an international conference on early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza after reaching a ceasefire.

The top diplomat emphasized the gravity of the situation in the West Bank amid continued military raids, arrests, and the expansion of illegal settlement construction, said the spokesman.

Abdelatty also stressed the need to achieve a just and sustainable settlement of the Palestinian issue, through the implementation of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with Al-Quds (East Jerusalem) as its capital, he added.

The two sides agreed on the need for both Israel and Iran to commit to a ceasefire and for regional and international efforts to be combined to consolidate the de-escalation agreement and open the way for diplomatic efforts that would help achieve regional security and stability, the spokesman said. (MENA)

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