Gaza, Trade and Regional Tensions: Erdoğan and el‑Sisi Meet in Cairo

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi met in Cairo on Wednesday, condemning recent breaches of the Gaza ceasefire and urging full implementation of a US‑backed plan they say is needed to halt what they described as a two‑year "genocidal" campaign in Gaza. The remarks came during a joint press conference on the sidelines of Erdoğan's official visit to sign a package of cooperation agreements with Egypt.

Erdoğan said the Palestinian issue topped their agenda as a mounting humanitarian catastrophe continues in Gaza. He added that Turkey and Egypt would continue to coordinate peace efforts in the enclave, where Israeli strikes on Wednesday were reported to have killed 23 people, including children, despite the agreed truce.

Agreements and Economic Cooperation
According to the Turkish state news agency Anadolu, the two leaders signed multiple bilateral accords covering defence, health and agriculture and discussed measures to deepen commercial ties. El‑Sisi said both sides agreed on a goal to raise bilateral trade to $15 billion and pledged to remove obstacles that hinder that objective.

Regional Security and Diplomacy
Beyond Gaza, Erdoğan and el‑Sisi covered a range of regional and international issues, citing concerns about Iran, the protracted fighting in Sudan, and the political status of Somaliland. Both presidents emphasised the urgency of a ceasefire and a comprehensive settlement to end nearly three years of civil conflict in Sudan.

Erdoğan described diplomacy as the "most appropriate method" to address rising tensions, including disputes over Iran's nuclear programme, and highlighted Turkey's role in mediation efforts between the US and Iran.

Erdoğan also criticised Israel's recognition of Somaliland last year, calling the move a violation of Somalia's sovereignty.

Context: Warmed Ties in the Region
Erdoğan's Cairo visit followed a trip to Saudi Arabia a day earlier, where officials said Ankara and Riyadh aim to strengthen economic and energy cooperation. It was Erdoğan's first visit to the kingdom in more than two years, a sign of thawing ties after strains that followed the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

In a statement, the Turkish presidency said the two countries agreed to expand cooperation in oil, petroleum products, petrochemicals, electricity and renewable energy, building on Saudi Arabia's major energy investments.

Outlook
The meeting underscores a pragmatic push by Turkey and Egypt to combine diplomatic engagement on urgent humanitarian and security issues with concrete economic and trade initiatives. Observers say the talks reflect both countries' interest in stabilising neighbouring hotspots while deepening bilateral ties.