Thousands of Egyptians rallied on in the City of El-Arish in North Sinai governorate on Tuesday to receive President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and French President Emmanuel Macron and express their opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinian people from the Gaza Strip and support the political leadership’s decisions on the Palestinian cause.
They took to streets and squares of El-Arish and raised the national flags of Egypt and Palestine, and photos of President Sisi.
They carried banners that read: “Gaza is not for sale”, “No to forced displacement”, and “100 million behind you Mr President”.
President Sisi and President Macron visited the city of El-Arish yesterday as part of the high-level official visit by the French president to Egypt.
Spokesman for the Presidency Ambassador Mohamed el-Shennawy stated that this visit underscores France’s solidarity with Egypt’s significant efforts in receiving and caring for Palestinians injured by the brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza.
The visit included a tour of Arish Hospital, where presidents Sisi and Macron met several wounded Palestinians – particularly women and children. The two presidents also visited the Egyptian Red Crescent’s logistics centre, which collects humanitarian aid from Egypt and other countries bound for Gaza.
Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar briefed the two presidents on the extensive efforts made by Egypt to provide medical care to injured Palestinians arriving from Gaza.
He noted that Egypt has received around 107,000 Palestinians, conducted medical checkups, vaccinated 27,000 children, and treated over 8,000 wounded Palestinians accompanied by 16,000 relatives. More than 5,160 surgeries have been performed, and 300 hospitals across 26 Egyptian governorates have received patients. Currently, Palestinian patients are being treated in 176 hospitals across 24 governorates, with full accommodation provided for their companions.
Egypt also mobilised 150 ambulances and 750 paramedics and drivers in North Sinai to transfer patients from the border to hospitals.
The minister further noted that Egypt has so far spent approximately $578 million on medical services for Palestinians, with expected costs rising to $1 billion. Only around 10 per cent of this amount has been covered through in-kind international aid.
In response to President Sisi’s directives, 38,000 doctors and 25,000 nurses across various specialisations have been mobilised to offer care for injured and chronically-ill Gazans. The president instructed the government, particularly the Health Ministry, to take all necessary measures to ease the suffering of the Palestinian people from the onset of the crisis.
The spokesman added that President Sisi reaffirmed Egypt’s steadfast position in supporting the Palestinian cause.
He emphasised Egypt’s tireless diplomatic efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and to ensure humanitarian aid reaches the besieged population, aiming to protect innocent lives and shield the Palestinian people from the consequences of the aggression.
President Sisi also expressed gratitude to the French side for its support in providing medical care to the wounded.
Both presidents stressed the urgent need for a ceasefire, the swift delivery of humanitarian aid, and the protection of civilians and relief workers.
They also firmly rejected any attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land.
