Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met Wednesday in Cairo with Pakistan’s top military official, Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza, to deepen bilateral cooperation.
The talks centred on enhancing defence ties, security collaboration, and joint efforts against terrorism and extremism. Mirza conveyed greetings from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and praised the positive momentum in Egypt-Pakistan relations.
Both leaders discussed Middle East developments, focusing on Egypt’s push to broker a ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza Strip. They stressed the urgent need for international responsibility to ease Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and ensure aid reaches civilians.
The meeting highlighted the importance of expanding global recognition of a Palestinian state as key to lasting peace. On the same day, France and 14 Western nations called for Palestinian state recognition and a Gaza ceasefire.
Last year, Spain, Ireland, Norway, and Slovenia joined 148 UN member states recognising Palestine’s statehood. Israel, rejecting ceasefire calls, has waged a relentless offensive since October 7, 2023, killing over 60,100 Palestinians in Gaza.
The assault has shattered Gaza’s infrastructure and caused severe food shortages amid ongoing devastation. In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its Gaza operations. This high-stakes dialogue in Cairo underscores regional tensions and the urgent search for peace amid a deepening humanitarian crisis.