Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi called on the international community on Thursday to ensure that Palestinians are not forcibly displaced from Gaza amid the ongoing destructive war between Israel and Hamas, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Speaking at the opening of the Chinese-Arab Forum in Beijing, El-Sisi said, “I urge the international community to work without delay to ensure the immediate and sustainable access of humanitarian aid to Gaza to end the Israeli siege.”
He also urged the international community to “counter all attempts at the forced displacement of Palestinians from their land.”
Beijing is hosting President El-Sisi and other Arab leaders this week for the forum, where the war between Israel and Hamas is expected to dominate discussions.
El-Sisi’s remarks came after the Israeli military announced on Wednesday that it had achieved “operational control” over the strategic Philadelphi Route and intensified its bombing of Rafah, the focal point of the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
El-Sisi reiterated, “There is no way to achieve regional peace and stability except through a comprehensive resolution of the Palestinian issue.”
He emphasized the need for “serious and immediate commitment to a two-state solution and recognition of the Palestinians’ legitimate right to establish their independent state.”
These statements underscore the Arab Republic’s stance on the critical need for humanitarian intervention and a long-term political solution to address the conflict’s root causes and ensure the rights and safety of the Palestinian people.
Amid growing internal conflicts within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, the Israeli military has announced full operational control over the border between Gaza and Egypt.
The military had achieved complete operational control over the Philadelphi Route (also known as the Salah al-Din Corridor), which runs along Gaza’s southern border with the African country.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the airstrikes that hit tents sheltering displaced people in Rafah, expressing deep sorrow over the images of the dead and wounded.