Egypt’s prime minister, UN chief discuss Gaza ceasefire, support to Palestinian cause

CAIRO – 15 February 2025: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres met on the sidelines of the 38th African Union (AU) Summit on Saturday, discussing Egypt’s efforts regarding the ceasefire in Gaza.

Madbouly outlined Egypt's efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and to monitor the implementation of all its phases, according to a statement by the Cabinet.

He emphasized the importance of intensifying efforts to uphold the ceasefire agreement.

The prime minister reiterated Egypt's steadfast position in supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, particularly their right to establish an independent state based on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with the commitment to achieving a two-state solution.

He also highlighted ongoing Egyptian efforts in coordination with regional and international partners to enhance ceasefire initiatives and reconstruction efforts, as well as plans for convening an emergency Arab summit soon.

Guterres commended Egypt's efforts to support the Palestinian cause and expressed his hope for continued coordination between Egypt and the UN on this matter.

Cairo is set to host an emergency meeting for Arab leaders on February 27 to “address the critical developments regarding the Palestinian cause.”

The summit comes while US President Donald Trump repeatedly threatened to take control of Gaza and relocate its residents to Egypt and Jordan, a matter that has brought global condemnation.

If implemented, Trump’s plan could extinguish hopes for the long-awaited and globally advocated two-state solution, allowing Israelis and Palestinians to coexist peacefully in separate states.

The Arab League, comprising all 22 Arab countries, warned that Trump’s proposal is “a recipe for instability.” Meanwhile, the European Union stated that Gaza “is an integral part of a future Palestinian state.”

The Hamas movement announced that the sixth batch of three Israeli captives is being handed over as part of the ongoing prisoner swap deal between Hamas and Israel. The handover is taking place in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Saturday.#Egypt #Palestine #MiddleEast #Israel #GAZA |… pic.twitter.com/p6zhNwX8vt

— Egypt Today Magazine (@EgyptTodayMag) February 15, 2025

Trump’s remarks come amid a fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, which took effect on January 19, halting over 15 months of Israeli war that devastated the enclave and killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, most of whom are women and children.

The ceasefire, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the US, saw Hamas’ release of 24 captives the movement captured from Israel on 7 October 2023, with dozens more still held there.

In return, Israel has released a total of 1,135 Palestinian prisoners, including many serving life sentences.