Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stated that the current proposed ceasefire in Gaza and the introduction of aid to the region is worthy of acceptance, adding that his country is awaiting Israel's response to the ceasefire proposal after Hamas announced its positive reception of the proposal.

During a press conference with his Spanish counterpart in Madrid, the Foreign Minister added that Egypt is encouraging both conflicting parties to accept the proposed plan, and that Egypt continues to communicate and coordinate with its partners to end the war that has resulted in the deaths of 37,000 Palestinians, most of whom are women and children.

Shoukry further mentioned that Egypt aspires to solve the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, pointing out that what is happening in Gaza concerns Egypt due to the humanitarian damages, noting that Israel's practices violate international law, and the war in Gaza exposes the region to chaos.

The presence of the occupation at the Rafah crossing

In response to a question regarding the Israeli presence near the Egyptian border, he clarified that the Israeli invasion of Gaza is rejected by most international powers, and that the connection of this presence to the Rafah crossing is rejected by Egyptian policy, confirming that the crossing is a main communication channel between Egypt and Gaza for delivering aid and rescuing the wounded.

Shoukry emphasized that it is difficult to operate the Rafah crossing without coordination with a Palestinian administration, stressing that Egypt's position and policy are clear in rejecting the Israeli presence at the Rafah crossing.

He also continued that regarding the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, the treaty has been stable for four decades and has mechanisms that enable it to confront breaches of its rules, and that the treaty and its provisions must be respected and upheld.

The Foreign Minister stated that the war on Gaza has caused catastrophic repercussions for the Palestinian people, and that there must be compliance with international law and respect for the International Court of Justice's decisions, as well as maintaining the multilateral international work system.

The Spanish Foreign Minister: We appreciate Egypt's role and its earnest efforts to stop the aggression on Gaza

For his part, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares commended Egypt's efforts to reach an agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of prisoners, noting that he discussed the situation in Gaza, Libya, the Mediterranean, and Sudan with the Foreign Minister.

Albares added during a press conference with Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry that there is a strong consensus between Egypt and Spain to enhance peace in the Middle East, pointing out that Egypt is a pivotal country in the Middle East and Africa.

He mentioned that he discussed with the Foreign Minister ways to ensure the reopening of land crossings to deliver aid to Gaza, emphasizing the necessity of ending the Israeli military operations in the Palestinian city of Rafah.