Egypt and Greece sign a strategic partnership agreement and support a plan to rebuild Gaza.

Egypt and Greece signed a strategic partnership agreement today, Wednesday, as both countries seek to enhance political coordination to help protect stability in the Eastern Mediterranean amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated in a joint statement that their bilateral cooperation is based on political, economic, and cultural relations deeply rooted in history, characterized by a strong commitment to peace and full respect for international law. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the first meeting of the High-Level Cooperation Council, established by the two countries over a year ago to improve their relations. They reiterated their shared position on the need to respect international law to promote peace in Gaza. Mitsotakis emphasized in the joint statement that the top priority is to halt hostilities and resume the flow of humanitarian aid to civilians. Greece supports an Arab-backed plan to rebuild Gaza once a ceasefire is reached. Migration topped the agenda of the bilateral talks, with European governments long concerned about any developments that could destabilize Egypt, with a population of 107 million, and lead to increased migration due to economic difficulties. Egypt has largely succeeded in curbing irregular migration from its northern coasts since 2016, but the Greek islands of Crete and Chios have seen a sharp increase in incoming migrants, mostly from Afghanistan and Egypt.