EU chief to visit Egypt, Jordan on Saturday

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to visit Egypt and Jordan, her spokesman said on Wednesday.

The visit comes after the Israeli aggression on Gaza has been raging for more than five weeks.

The EU chief will meet the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday before heading to Sinai, for the arrival of an EU humanitarian convoy, Eric Mamer said.

Von der Leyen will then meet King Abdullah II in Jordan, Mamer wrote on X.

The EU chief rushed to visit Israel on October 13, just a week after Hamas launched its attack on October 7.

In Gaza, more than 11,500 civilians have been killed in the ongoing bombardment and ground offensive, health officials in the Gaza have said.

A staunch supporter of Israel, von der Leyen said it was essential that it “strives to avoid civilian casualties” in its operation in Gaza.

EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, will also be in the Middle East starting Thursday for humanitarian and political talks in Israel, Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan.