France's Macron and Egypt's Sisi attend ceremony at the presidential palace in Cairo

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and French President Emmanuel Macron attended a formal welcome ceremony at the presidential palace in Cairo on Monday, ahead of a high-level summit on the Gaza crisis.

The talks are set to include Jordan’s King Abdullah II and focus on efforts to deescalate the conflict and address the worsening humanitarian situation in the enclave. Macron’s visit to Egypt comes amid renewed Israeli military operations in Gaza, which resumed on March 18 following the collapse of ceasefire negotiations. 

The French leader has reiterated calls for an immediate truce, increased humanitarian access and the resumption of diplomatic dialogue. The trilateral summit is expected to explore coordinated diplomatic efforts and potential frameworks for post-conflict reconstruction as well as mechanisms to prevent regional spillover.