French Foreign Minister Makes Unscheduled Cairo Visit Amid Intensified Efforts for Israel-Hamas Truce

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne made an unscheduled visit to Cairo on Monday amid intensified efforts led by Egypt to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the ruling Palestinian Islamist group in Gaza. Sejourne's visit follows stops in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Israel as part of a Middle East tour aimed at assessing the possibility of releasing three French dual-national hostages held by Hamas and the progress towards a potential truce deal.

Egypt has been leading a renewed push to revive stalled negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Officials from Hamas left Cairo after talks with Egyptian officials on a new proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Hamas delegation is expected to return to Cairo with a written response to the ceasefire proposal. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is expected to visit Israel, has pressed Hamas to accept the new ceasefire proposal.

Why this matters: The Israel-Hamas war, which has killed over 34,000 Palestinians and driven around 80% of Gaza's population from their homes, threatens to further destabilize the region. The diplomatic efforts to achieve a truce have reached a critical point, with the humanitarian crisis in Gaza raising pressure on Israel to increase aid deliveries to the enclave.

In talks with Egyptian officials, Sejourne will assess the possibility of releasing the French hostages and the progress towards a potential truce deal. Paris also wants to discuss a French proposal to defuse tensions between Israel and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group in case a Gaza truce is agreed. Sejourne expressed cautious optimism about the momentum towards an accord, but warned that an offensive in southern Gaza City of Rafah would not help Israel in its war with Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to launch an incursion into Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering from the 7-month-long war. Netanyahu said Israel would enter Rafah to destroy Hamas' battalions there "with or without a deal." The international community, including Israel's top ally, the U.S., have raised an alarm over the fate of civilians in Rafah if Israel invades.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has reported difficulties with aid deliveries due to the transfer of bodies and detainees through the Kerem Shalom crossing. Meanwhile, protests and clashes occurred at the University of California, Los Angeles and Columbia University, with police arresting dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters who had occupied campus buildings.

Sejourne described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "catastrophic" and called for a ceasefire. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also renewed calls for more humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza and reiterated Germany's support for a two-state solution. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he wants to invite Arab leaders to Brussels to present their proposals for advancing a two-state solution.

Key Takeaways

• French FM visits Cairo amid efforts to secure Israel-Hamas ceasefire.
• Egypt leads renewed push for truce, Hamas delegation to respond to proposal.
• Israel-Hamas war threatens regional stability, humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
• France seeks to release hostages, defuse Israel-Lebanon tensions if truce agreed.
• Calls for more humanitarian aid to Gaza, two-state solution amid protests.