Egyptian President Sisi discusses Gaza crisis on Dublin trip

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met his Irish counterpart Michael Higgins and Prime Minister Simon Harris Wednesday for talks on the war in Gaza and boosting bilateral ties.

The two heads of state discussed the Middle East situation, including the political upheaval in Syria, according to a statement from Higgins's office.

"The outrageous suffering in the absence of a ceasefire in Gaza was the central part of their discussion," the statement added.

There had also been "agreement on the need to expand international recognition of the Palestinian state", said Egyptian presidential spokesman Mohamed al-Shenawy.

Ireland is among several European countries which in May formally recognized the State of Palestine, drawing anger from Israel.

Sisi praised Dublin's "courageous positions in support of the Palestinian cause," Shenawy added in a statement.

Eight Gazan children and their families, currently in Cairo, will soon be medically evacuated to Ireland, the Irish statement said.

Sisi later held a working lunch with Harris, who said before the meeting that he would raise the case of an Irish mother whose children have been kept by their father in Egypt since 2022.

The Dublin visit was the final leg of a European tour by Sisi that included stops in Norway and Denmark.

It marked the first trip to Ireland by an Egyptian president since Hosni Mubarak visited in 2006.