Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
In its first official response to Israel’s newly announced plan to fully occupy the Gaza Strip, Egypt has issued a strong condemnation, describing the move as a blatant violation of international law and a continuation of what it called a campaign of genocide against the Palestinian people.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, the Egyptian government denounced the decision of the Israeli Security Cabinet to adopt a plan for the full military occupation of Gaza. Cairo warned that the plan seeks to solidify Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territory and represents an effort to “eradicate all aspects of life for the Palestinian people,” undermine their right to self-determination, and dismantle any prospects for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
“This is a clear and unacceptable breach of international law and international humanitarian law,” the statement said, adding that Israel’s continued “policy of starvation, systematic killing, and collective extermination” against a defenseless population would only fuel further violence, deepen hatred, and spread extremism across the region.
Egypt, which has played a central role in mediating between Israel and Hamas during multiple rounds of conflict, urged the international community including the United Nations Security Council and all relevant global actors to take immediate action. The statement called on world powers to assume their legal, political, and moral responsibilities and to act decisively to halt what it described as Israel’s campaign of “arrogance and military aggression aimed at imposing a new reality by force.”
The Egyptian government warned that the latest escalation, coming amid an already unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, would further destabilize the region and eliminate any remaining hope for a peaceful resolution.
Cairo reiterated its longstanding position that no peace or security will be possible for either Israel or the region unless a sovereign Palestinian state is established based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Egypt’s firm condemnation joins a growing chorus of international voices including those of Germany, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, and the European Union urging Israel to abandon its military plans in Gaza and instead pursue a path toward de-escalation, humanitarian access, and renewed diplomatic negotiations.
