Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi expressed his view on Sunday, characterizing Israel’s response to Hamas’ recent attack as a form of “collective punishment” against the densely populated Gaza Strip.
Following the surprise attack on October 7th, Israel has initiated a series of airstrikes on Gaza, raising the likelihood of an imminent Israeli ground incursion into the region.
“I believe the ongoing actions have surpassed Israel’s right to self-defense and have evolved into a form of collective punishment against the 2.3 million Palestinians residing in the Gaza Strip,” he stated during televised remarks while meeting with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Cairo.
Blinken’s visit to Egypt is part of a broader regional tour aimed at preventing the conflict between Israel and Hamas from escalating into a larger regional conflict. He has already visited Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Al-Sissi called for facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip to alleviate the suffering of its people.
“It is of utmost importance to de-escalate tensions and ensure the smooth passage of aid into the Gaza Strip,” he emphasized.
Israel has imposed restrictions on the entry of essential supplies such as food, fuel, and medicines into Gaza, leading to severe concerns about the well-being of the impoverished territory’s inhabitants.
Al-Sissi stated that Egypt is actively working to mitigate the situation and prevent other external actors from becoming involved in the conflict.
Earlier on Sunday, Al-Sissi presided over a meeting of Egypt’s National Security Council to address the escalating violence in Gaza.
A presidential statement issued after the meeting outlined Egypt’s commitment to intensify efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance to the neighboring Gaza Strip, particularly in light of the growing fears of mass displacement.
The Rafah border crossing, the sole passage from Gaza to Egypt, is presently closed due to Israeli retaliation attacks on the strip.
Unidentified Egyptian sources were quoted in the media on Saturday as suggesting that Cairo links the passage of foreign nationals from Gaza through the crossing to the facilitation of aid deliveries to the strip.
The Israeli military had instructed civilians in northern Gaza to head south in anticipation of an impending incursion, which was reportedly delayed due to adverse weather conditions.
As the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, Egypt is concerned about a potential mass exodus of Gazans into its territory. In response, Egypt emphasized its rejection and denouncement of any displacement policy or attempts to undermine the Palestinian cause at the expense of neighboring nations.
The presidential statement further outlined Egypt’s plans to host a regional and international conference on the “developments and future of the Palestinian cause.”