Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi emphasized the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and for Israel to end its hostilities. During a press conference today, Wednesday, with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Sisi reiterated Egypt's rejection of the Israeli plan to carry out a military operation in the Palestinian Rafah region, stressing that Israel's targeting of relief agencies in the Gaza Strip contradicts all humanitarian norms and values.
He highlighted that their discussions focused on the situation in the region, specifically the war in Gaza, where he urged the Dutch Prime Minister to make sincere efforts in this regard, to end the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and to alleviate the signs of escalation and tension across the region.
Sisi stated that the actions of the occupying authority against civilians in Gaza represent a severe violation of international law and international humanitarian law, reaffirming that Egypt has repeatedly warned against Israeli plans to render life in Gaza impossible. He added that Israel's practices threaten the lives of more than one and a half million displaced persons, noting that it is responsible for their protection according to international law.
Sisi pointed out that it is well-known to all that what is happening in Gaza is matched by obstructive policies against the lives of Palestinians in the West Bank, whether through unleashing settler violence or through demolitions, expulsions, military incursions, and land confiscation in the West Bank cities, in addition to settlement activities and the perpetuation of occupation.
The Egyptian President confirmed that the suffering of the Palestinian people across the occupied Palestinian territories over the decades will only cease with the recognition of the State of Palestine and granting it full membership in the United Nations and working towards implementing the two-state solution according to international references, stressing that delaying the resolution of this issue exposes the region and the entire world to instability risks.
Regarding bilateral relations, Sisi affirmed that discussions with the Dutch Prime Minister clarified a consensus on the importance of Egypt as a reliable partner for the European Union and its member states in various areas of mutual interest, including combating illegal immigration, fighting terrorism, and supporting the achievement of security and stability in the region that benefits both Egyptian and European interests.
