Sisi stresses need for immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, Gaza in phone call with Mikati

CAIRO – 28 September 2024: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi emphasized the urgent necessity for an immediate, comprehensive, and permanent ceasefire in both Lebanon and Gaza during a phone call with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Saturday.

Sisi's statements come amidst an unprecedented escalation in Lebanon, with Israeli airstrikes claiming the lives of around 1,000 individuals, including dozens of children, over the past week.

This escalation coincides with the Israeli war in Gaza nearing its one-year mark, killing over 41,500 people, injuring more than 96,200 others, and pushing the enclave closer to the brink of famine.

Egypt has consistently cautioned against the conflict spreading throughout the region, underscoring that an all-out war would leave no country in the region unaffected.

An Israeli airstrike on Hezbollah’s underground headquarters near Beirut on Friday killed Hassan Nasrallah, the group’s secretary-general of Hezbollah, the powerful regional force stationed in Lebanon.

The assassination of Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader since 1992, along with other group commanders, heightens concerns of imminent further escalation with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday vowing to avenge his killing.

Int’l failure to de-escalate

During their conversation, Sisi reiterated Egypt's unwavering support for Lebanon during this critical period, condemning any threats to Lebanese security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

Sisi cautioned that the failure of the international community to halt aggressive actions against Palestinian territories and Lebanon could lead the region into a perilous escalation, endangering regional and international peace and stability.

World leaders have been calling for Israel-Hezbollah de-escalation over the past days, warning of pushing the region to a full-fledged war.

A proposal led by the US and France and supported by several Arab and European nations for a ceasefire in Lebanon was rejected by Israel on Friday.

While calling for de-escalation, US President Joe Biden has described Nasrallah’s death as a “measure of justice,” stressing the US full support to “Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and any other Iranian-supported terrorist groups.”

Directing aid to Lebanon

Sisi directed immediate medical and relief aid to Lebanon in solidarity with the Lebanese people, reiterating Egypt's support on all fronts.

Mikati expressed gratitude for Egypt's supportive stance toward the Lebanese state, highlighting his government’s efforts to de-escalate the situation.

The Lebanese prime minister also commended Egypt for its ongoing role in restoring peace and security in the region amidst the current escalation.

Ongoing aggression

In mid-September, an Israeli intelligence operation involving the detonation of pagers and walkie-talkies across Lebanon killed dozens, including civilians, and injured thousands.

The death toll escalated significantly following subsequent heavy Israeli airstrikes, with 1,030 people, including 56 children, reported killed since the detonations, according to Firass Abiad, Lebanon’s Minister of Public Health, on Saturday.

Since October 2023, Israeli aggression in Lebanon has killed 1,640 individuals and left 8,408 others injured, Abiad added.