CAIRO, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip during a phone conversation on Saturday, emphasizing the need to restore calm and provide humanitarian aid, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.

The leaders underscored that a two-state solution is essential for achieving lasting peace in the region. They also discussed Egypt's efforts to broker a Gaza ceasefire and reviewed bilateral relations ahead of Macron's scheduled visit to Egypt on Sunday.

The possibility of holding a tripartite summit involving Egypt, France, and Jordan in Cairo during Macron's three-day visit was also considered, according to the statement.

Israel ended a two-month ceasefire with Hamas on March 18 and resumed air and ground assaults on the Palestinian enclave. Israel Defense Forces spokesman Effie Defrin stated on Thursday that the army had entered "a new stage" in its offensive in Gaza.

The renewed Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,309 Palestinians and injured 3,184 others, Gaza health authorities reported on Saturday. Enditem

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