Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty stressed that Egypt will never accept any changes to the Rafah crossing operating rules, which are in place before 7 October, particularly those related to the Palestinian side of the crossing.
Abdelatty asserted that Egypt also maintains complete opposition to any military presence at the crossing or the Philadelphi corridor.
He made his remarks on Wednesday18/9/2024 during a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken following a meeting in Cairo.
These remarks echo previous Egyptian statements asserting its rejection of any Israeli presence in the Philadelphia corridor on the Egypt-Gaza border and the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, which has been under Israeli control since May.
Blinken has landed in the Egyptian capital for his 10th trip to the Middle East since the onset of the Israeli war on Gaza.
His tour is a renewed bid to push for a much-needed ceasefire in Gaza amid concerns of further regional escalation, particularly fo
llowing the pager blasts in Lebanon.
During the presser, Abdelatty said he agreed with Blinken on the urgent need for a ceasefire in the strip, highlighting the absence of the political will to reach such a deal.
Both diplomats assured that the ceasefire would put an end to the bloodshed of Palestinians and facilitate a swift resolution for the release of all hostages and prisoners.
They also advocated for an immediate and unconditional provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza residents.
Blinken asserted that a Gaza truce deal would contribute to the return of hostages, alleviate the suffering of the Gazan people, and establish long-term peace.
He assured that Egypt remains an indispensable partner in efforts to secure such a truce in Gaza.
The US diplomat said his country believes that the truce ‘is the best way to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and mitigate risks to regional stability.”
He highlighted the escalating tensions due to the war, including the Red Sea tension due to attacks of Iran-b
acked Houthi on Israel-bound shipping to the Mediterranean.
Ceasefire progress vs. will absence
Blinken stated that ceasefire negotiations have made significant progress over the past 45 days, with agreements reached on several key points, although some issues remain unresolved.
He emphasized that further progress depends on the political will of both sides to reach a final agreement.
‘Both sides must display the political will to reach a deal,’ he continued.
National Faction Hamas
Meanwhile, the Egyptian minister concurred with Blinken regarding the absence of political will, while attributing it to ‘a specific party.’
He said this party’s approach is obstructing the long-awaited ceasefire agreement. He explained that whenever consensus is reached on a point, allegations are often fabricated to divert attention.
Abdelatty added that Egypt deals with Hamas as a Palestinian national faction, and through its periodic communications, the movement has consistently reaffirmed its commitment to the understa
ndings previously reached on 27 May as well as the amendments made on 2 July.
Pager Blasts
The two sides also tackled the recent developments in Lebanon following Tuesday’s Israeli cyber-attack against its communication infrastructure, which claimed the lives of nine people, including a child, and wounded nearly 3,000 others.
Both sides warned of the dangers of escalation and the potential for the region to slip into a broader conflict.
For his part, Abdelatty reiterated Egypt’s support for Lebanon’s unity and stability following the attack, saying, “Such a dangerous escalation is likely to lead to what we have always warned against, which is slipping into a full regional war that will leave nothing in this region.”
Egypt’s top diplomat urged focusing on efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, which he said will contribute to calming regional tensions and sparing the region further escalations.
‘We must focus on stopping the aggression and reaching an immediate ceasefire, which is the only safety valve to
achieve security and stability in the region,’ he underscored.
Blinken said the United States ‘did not know and was not involved’ in the pager blasts, saying his country is still in the process of collecting information and facts about the incident.
‘We are clear about the importance of all partners to avoid any steps that would contribute to escalating the conflict,’ he said.
Source: State Information Service Egypt
