Leaders of France, Egypt and Jordan call for ceasefire, hostage release in joint op-ed

The leaders of France, Egypt, and Jordan call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a path to a two-state solution in a Monday op-ed in the Washington Post.

Jordan’s King Abdullah, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Egypt’s Abdel Fatah El-Sissi do not condition the ceasefire on the release of hostages and do not mention the military defeat of Hamas.

They do, however, call for “the immediate release of all hostages.”

The leaders warn against an offensive in Rafah, saying it “would only bring more death and suffering, heighten the risks and consequences of mass displacement of the people of Gaza and threaten regional escalation.”

They contend that “famine is already setting in,” and call for a massive increase in humanitarian aid. They argue that Israel has not fulfilled its obligation to ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The three men say the UN Security Council should push for a two-state solution, and “must play a role in decisively reopening this horizon for peace.”

Reflecting persistent Jordanian claims about Israeli violations of the religious status quo in Jerusalem, the leaders “emphasize the necessity of respecting the historical and legal status quo at Jerusalem’s Muslim and Christian holy sites and the role of the Jordanian Waqf under the Hashemite custodianship.”