CAIRO, July 9 (MENA) - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty received a phone call on Wednesday from his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot, as part of their regular intensive consultations to follow up on regional developments.

Abdelatty briefed his French counterpart on the latest developments regarding negotiations on ceasefire in Gaza, ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages and prisoners, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the enclave.

He stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire and called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities to end the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza amid continued Israeli aggression.

The minister also highlighted Egypt’s preparations to host an international conference on early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza in cooperation with the United Nations and the Palestinian government, to be held once a ceasefire is reached.

The two ministers further discussed the upcoming high-level international conference on a peaceful settlement to the Palestinian cause and the implementation of the two-state solution, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia.

Abdelatty underscored Egypt’s priority of achieving a just and sustainable resolution to the Palestinian issue through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem (Al Quds) as its capital.

The ministers agreed on the need for joint regional and international efforts to consolidate the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran to reduce escalation and pave the way for diplomatic tracks to address concerns over Iran’s nuclear program.

Abdelatty emphasized the crucial role of the E3 group - consisting of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom - in supporting negotiations toward a settlement that contributes to lowering tensions in the region. (MENA)

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