Gaza ceasefire right direction towards lasting peace: Egyptian president

CAIRO, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said on Monday that securing a Gaza ceasefire, freeing captives and detainees, and launching a political process toward establishing a Palestinian state were steps in the right direction for lasting peace and stability.

In a televised speech marking the 52nd anniversary of Egypt's 1973 war with Israel, Sisi thanked the U.S. side for the latest ceasefire initiative after two years of conflict in Gaza.

His remarks came as a Hamas delegation, led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya, arrived in Egypt on Sunday for talks with Israel. Negotiations are expected to cover the terms of a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and a prisoner exchange, Hamas said.

"Reconciliation, not confrontation, is the only way to build a secure future for our children," Sisi said. He added that Egypt's 1979 peace treaty with Israel was not just an agreement but a model of "just peace" that cemented stability.

Sisi reiterated that a lasting settlement in the Middle East requires the creation of an independent Palestinian state, saying peace imposed by force breeds resentment, while peace based on justice can lead to true normalization and coexistence.