CAIRO, May 19 (MENA) – President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said Egypt continues its intensive efforts and contacts with different regional and international parties to press Israel to immediately and unconditionally withdraw from all Lebanese territories and respect an agreement to cease hostilities, as well as to fully implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which involves deploying the Lebanese army south of the Litani River.

Sisi made the remarks during a joint press conference that he held on Monday with visiting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

During the presser, President Sisi reiterated his call for the international community to assume its responsibility for the reconstruction of Lebanon, urging international organizations and donors to effectively participate in this process.

President Sisi said his talks with Aoun tackled the developments in the Gaza Strip, where they stressed the necessity of ending the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian enclave, resuming the ceasefire agreement, exchanging Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners and allowing the access of humanitarian aid to meet the urgent needs of Gazans.

President Sisi added that he and the Lebanese president reaffirmed their firm stance on supporting the Palestinian issue, while rejecting any attempts to displace Palestinians and liquidate their just cause.

President Sisi and his Lebanese counterpart called on the international community to mobilize the necessary resources for enforcing the Gaza reconstruction plan and enable the Palestinian Authority to run Gaza, while expanding recognitions of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, for being the only guarantee to reach permanent peace and achieve stability in the region. (MORE)

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