Gaza Trilateral Summit: France, Egypt, Jordan Call for Immediate Return to Ceasefire
The leaders of France, Egypt and Jordan on Monday called for an immediate return to ceasefire in Gaza during a trilateral summit held in Cairo, Egypt.
Moreover, the leaders expressed their support for the Gaza reconstruction conference that will take place soon in Cairo, and underscored the significance of the two-state solution conference that Saudi Arabia and France will co-chair in June.
The three leaders also held a phone conversation with the US President, Donald Trump, during which they discussed the situation in Gaza.
Cairo Trilateral Summit on Gaza
On Monday, Cairo hosted a trilateral summit to discuss the grave situation in Gaza, with the presence of the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi; the French President, Emmanuel Macron; and the Jordanian King, Abdullah II. The summit took place amid Macron’s official visit to Egypt.
The summit came in response to the resumption of Israeli military operations in Gaza, after negotiations to move forward with the ceasefire agreement stalled. On March 18, 2025, Israel resumed airstrikes and ground operations in the Strip, killing hundreds of Palestinians and displacing others.
Several proposals were made to restore the ceasefire agreement which came into force on January 19. These included a plan floated by the US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, which called for extending the first phase until mid-April, exchanging more Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners; and two Egyptian proposals to restore the ceasefire.
Calling for Immediate Ceasefire
In a joint press release, the leaders of France, Egypt and Jordan called for an immediate return to the ceasefire agreement in Gaza to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians, allowing them to receive immediate and full humanitarian aid. In the light of this, they called for the implementation of the original deal, which took effect on January 19, guaranteeing the release of all hostages and detainees and ensuring security for all.
They also emphasized that protecting civilians and humanitarian personnel as well as full access for aid delivery is an obligation under the international law and must be upheld.
Rejecting Displacement
The three leaders voiced alarm over the increasingly deteriorating situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, urging an end to all unilateral measures that undermine the viability of the two-state solution and raise tensions. They also called for respect for the historical status quo on Jerusalem’s holy sites.
Furthermore, the French, Egyptian and Jordanian leaders expressed rejection of the displacement of Palestinians or any annexation of Palestinian territory. Within this context, they urged an international endorsement of the Gaza reconstruction plan approved by the Arab Summit in Cairo on March 4, and the OIC on March 7.
They also discussed its role in enhancing security and governance under the authority of an empowered Palestinian Authority (PA), with strong regional and international support, expressing their readiness to provide assistance in coordination with partners.
Two-state Solution Conference
The leaders of France, Egypt and Jordan underscored the need to coordinate these efforts with the upcoming conference that Saudi Arabia and France will co-chair in June. The conference aims to establish a clear political framework for implementing the two-state solution.
The three leaders also expressed support for the Gaza reconstruction conference, which Cairo will host.
After the summit, Macron voiced France’s strong support for the Gaza reconstruction plan and a Palestinian government without Hamas, pointing to the significance of the two-state solution conference in this regard.
In the fall of 2023, following the Hamas attack on Israel, we spoke with one voice alongside Egypt.
We are sparing no effort.
We condemn the resumption of Israeli strikes in Gaza and call for the release of all hostages and an immediate return to the ceasefire.…
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 7, 2025
Discussions with Trump
On the sidelines of the trilateral summit, the three leaders held a conference call with Trump, where they discussed ways to guarantee an urgent ceasefire in Gaza, according to the Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy. They also reiterated the need to resume full access to humanitarian aid and the immediate release of all hostages and detainees.
Moreover, they emphasized the importance of building a comprehensive political framework and mobilizing international efforts to resolve the crisis, restore security and peace for all, and implement the two-state solution.
Separately, Trump said that the war in Gaza will stop soon, adding that the US is working on a new ceasefire. “I’d like to see the war stop, and I think the war will stop at some point, that won’t be in the too-distant future,” Trump told reporters at the White House’s Oval Office after a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
“We’re looking at another ceasefire. We’ll see what happens. But we have, we want to get the hostages out,” he noted.
