Rafah – Egypt has urged an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to stop the ongoing bloodshed.
“We once again call for an immediate end to this humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and for ending this conflict in a just and fair way,” Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told reporters at a press conference at Rafah Border crossing on Tuesday.
He reaffirmed that Egypt will not allow the dissolution of the Palestinian issue, either at its expense or by any other means.
Madbouly added that Egypt is against targeting civilians from any side of the conflict and that it opposes the collective punishment of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
“There is no end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict except through the two-state solution,” Madbouly stated.
The same sentiment was also echoed by the head of Egypt’s State Information Service Diaa Rashwan, who stressed that Egypt is ready to send not only hundreds but thousands of aid trucks into the besieged Gaza Strip.
“However, Israeli occupation forces are deliberately slowing down the process to prevent aid from entering,” Rashwan said.
He denounced the senseless killing of 3,500 children and 2,000 women as “not self-defense”, and said that hitting hospitals, churches and mosques is against all international laws and human rights.
Rashwan emphasized that Egypt demands an end to the ongoing Israeli hostilities in Gaza, respect for humanitarian laws, categorical rejection of any displacement of Palestinians either inside Gaza or to Sinai, and free flow of aid into the enclave.
“We need a UN Security Council resolution under Chapter 7 enforcing the entry of aid into Gaza and ensuring its protection.”
He expressed hope that the media, both Western and Eastern, would convey the truth about what is happening here, as the occupation forces prevent them from entering Gaza. “They can see for themselves.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Madbouly revealed North Sinai Development Vision, which includes 302 projects worth EGP 363bn until June 2030. This came during a press conference in the city of Arish, where he launched the second phase of the government’s development plan for North Sinai.
“All these projects will be implemented by the hands of people from North Sinai,” he said.
“Egypt must develop its North Sinai governorate so that other countries do not scheme to put it to their uses,” Madbouly said, referring to reports of an Israeli plan to relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to the Sinai Peninsula.
He added that Egyptians are ready to sacrifice their lives to protect every grain of sand in Egypt’s North Sinai.
The first phase of the Sinai development plan was mainly focused on building up the infrastructure needed to bring about real change in the governorate, such as roads and water desalination plants.
The armed forces personnel are “highly prepared to implement any mission assigned to them to protect Egypt’s national security at the northeastern strategic direction,” said Mohamed Rabie, commander of the Second Field Army, during the ceremony.
The press conference was attended by a group of tribal leaders of Sinai, politicians, parliament members, and media professionals.
