Macron to Join Regional Leaders in Egypt to Back Gaza Truce Agreement
Macron’s visit follows France’s recognition of a Palestinian state and comes amid efforts to reassert Paris’s diplomatic influence in the Middle East.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Egypt on Monday to express support for the Gaza ceasefire agreement brokered by the U.S. President Donald Trump and to discuss the next phases of its implementation, the Elysée Palace announced Saturday.
Macron will visit the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, where indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, led to the recent truce.
According to the Elysée, the French leader will meet with “regional and international partners to discuss the next steps in implementing the peace plan,” aimed at stabilizing Gaza and launching a long-term political process.
The French presidency did not confirm whether Macron would meet with US President Donald Trump, who is also expected to attend the summit in Egypt.
Trump’s administration played a central role in brokering the ceasefire and is leading efforts to form a multinational task force to oversee Gaza’s post-conflict stabilization and reconstruction.
The Elysée described Macron’s upcoming trip as part of a broader French-Saudi initiative to promote peace and regional security based on the long-standing “two-state solution,” envisioning an independent Palestinian state coexisting alongside Israel.
Last month, France officially recognized the State of Palestine — a move that drew sharp criticism from both Washington and Jerusalem. Israeli officials condemned the decision as “premature and harmful,” while US diplomats warned it could “complicate ongoing peace efforts.”
Macron defended the recognition as a necessary step toward reviving a political horizon for the Palestinians after years of diplomatic stagnation.
Macron’s visit also comes at a turbulent time domestically, as France faces mounting political unrest and a divided parliament amid economic and social tensions at home. Nonetheless, the French leader has continued to assert his country’s global diplomatic influence, particularly in Middle Eastern affairs, where Paris has long sought to position itself as a mediator between Western powers and Arab states.
Macron’s participation in the Egypt summit underscores France’s determination to play an active role in shaping the post-war order in Gaza and to ensure that Europe remains a relevant voice in the evolving Middle East peace architecture — one increasingly dominated by US-led and Gulf-backed initiatives.
The October 13 meetings in Sharm El-Sheikh are expected to bring together senior officials from the United States, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Türkiye, and several European and Arab nations, as world powers look to translate the fragile Gaza truce into a sustainable framework for peace and reconstruction.
