El-Sisi and De Croo said that they looked forward to forging closer joint cooperation in various domains El-Sisi spoke of Egypt’s efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and secure the exchange of detainees and hostages CAIRO: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo have discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip during a telephone call. Presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said the call also touched on bilateral relations as well as Egypt’s ties with the EU in light of Belgium’s assumption of the bloc’s presidency in January. El-Sisi and De Croo said that they looked forward to forging closer joint cooperation in various domains while further strengthening coordination and consultations on international and regional challenges. The situation in the Gaza Strip was also part of the discussion. El-Sisi spoke of Egypt’s efforts to achieve a ceasefire and secure the exchange of detainees and hostages, while ensuring the flow of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza in a sustainable and urgent manner. Fahmy said that El-Sisi appreciated Belgium’s stance in support of restoring calm, and its opposition to any escalation in the conflict. Fahmy added that the Belgian prime minister affirmed his country’s alignment with Egypt’s vision, and the country’s readiness to support all efforts undertaken by Egypt within its framework, particularly in regard to ways to achieve the two-state solution and establish an independent Palestinian state. De Croo also stressed his country’s support of further coordination and consultations with Egypt to prevent the expansion of the conflict and restore stability in the region. El-Sisi last November hosted the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium in tripartite discussions on developments in the Gaza Strip. El-Sisi last week received a phone call from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and warned of the danger of an escalating situation in Gaza. He stressed the importance of working to stop the expansion of the conflict and the necessity of activating the path to a two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Trudeau spoke of the need to protect civilians and expressed his country’s support for all efforts toward reaching a ceasefire, while warning of the danger of an escalation of the conflict.