Egypt has strongly condemned Israel’s decision to cut off electricity to the Gaza Strip, denouncing the action as part of Israel’s broader policy of collective punishment, which Cairo fully rejects. The Egyptian government called on the international community to take decisive action and ensure that such violations of international humanitarian law are stopped.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its condemnation of Israel’s move to suspend electricity supplies to Gaza, highlighting that the action constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
The statement emphasized Egypt’s unwavering opposition to Israel’s policies, including the suspension of humanitarian aid deliveries, which have exacerbated the dire situation in Gaza.
On Sunday, Israel’s official Broadcasting Authority reported that Israeli Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Eli Cohen, had ordered an immediate halt to electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip.
In related developments, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi reiterated Egypt’s steadfast support for the Palestinian cause, stating that Egypt would not accept the displacement of the Palestinian people. “We salute the resilience of the Palestinian people and reaffirm our support for them in their ongoing struggle for survival and dignity,” he said. He also stressed that the only solution to the conflict is the establishment of a Palestinian state and the prevention of any form of displacement under any pretext.
Additionally, on Tuesday, Reuters reported that about 3,500 individuals had crossed from Gaza into Egypt via the Rafah crossing, according to a European Union foreign policy official.
Meanwhile, Hazem Qassem, spokesperson for the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), warned of famine-like conditions in Gaza, as the ongoing blockade has prevented the entry of food supplies for the tenth consecutive day. The blockade, combined with existing shortages since the beginning of hostilities, has worsened the humanitarian crisis in the region. Qassem urged the Arab League to activate measures from the recent Arab summit to break the siege on Gaza and prevent further suffering.
In a related humanitarian update, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) issued a warning about the critical water shortage in Gaza, with only one in ten people having access to safe drinking water. UNICEF official Rosalia Poulin reported that while 600,000 people regained access to drinking water in November 2024, this access was cut off again.
The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that 36 people were killed (32 recovered and 4 new deaths), and 14 injured were admitted to hospitals in the past 24 hours. This brings the death toll from the ongoing aggression to 48,503, with 111,927 people injured since 7 October 2023.
