CAIRO: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Sunday said his country would not allow the forced displacement of the innocent Palestinians from Gaza, according to a statement from his spokesman.
President Sisi made the remarks during a meeting with the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
President Sisi emphasized the importance of achieving a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and reaffirmed Egypt’s rejection of any attempts to forcibly remove Palestinians from their land.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s foreign ministry has called on international powers and the UN Security Council to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The ministry warned against the potential consequences of Israel launching a military operation in the city of Rafah, stating that such action would pose grave humanitarian risks to Palestinian civilians seeking refuge there.
The ministry emphasized that any military operation in Rafah, which shares a border with Egypt, would constitute a violation of international law and international humanitarian law. Egypt urged Israel to halt its policies of collective punishment against the people of Gaza, including siege, starvation, and indiscriminate targeting of civilians.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian foreign ministry condemned Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s threats to invade Rafah, describing them as a direct challenge to international and US efforts aimed at protecting civilians. The ministry warned that such actions demonstrate a dangerous pursuit of revenge by the Israeli government, posing a threat to regional and global security and stability.
Israel to Attack Over 1.5 Million Displaced Palestinians in Rafah
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Sunday to send ground forces into Gaza’s southern Rafah city despite growing international pressure over the fate of innocent Palestinian civilians sheltering in the border area.
Netanyahu made the declaration during a cabinet meeting, asserting that “no amount of international pressure will stop us from realizing all the goals of the war.” He emphasized Israel’s intention to operate in Rafah, which is now home to nearly 1.5 million displaced Palestinians sheltering Israeli bombardment near the Egyptian border.
The announcement comes as world leaders express apprehension over the potential humanitarian consequences of an invasion. US President Joe Biden has labeled a Rafah incursion a “red line” without credible measures to protect civilians, while UN World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged Israel “in the name of humanity” to refrain from launching an assault on Rafah.
Efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and hostage release deal are underway, with envoys planning to meet in Qatar soon. A proposal from a Palestinian resistance group Hamas calls for an Israeli withdrawal from all cities and populated areas in Gaza during a six-week truce, along with increased humanitarian aid.
Israel plans to attend the talks, with cabinet members due to “decide on the mandate of the delegation in charge of the talks before its departure for Doha”, Netanyahu’s office said, without giving a date for when they would leave.
