Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
In a forceful diplomatic move, Egypt and Turkey have jointly condemned Israel’s reported plans to establish permanent control over the city of Gaza, calling for urgent and united action from the Islamic world and the broader international community.
Following high-level talks in the Egyptian city of Alamein, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aaty and his Turkish counterpart, addressed the media on Saturday, emphasizing the growing urgency of the situation in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory. The meeting also included discussions with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, highlighting the seriousness with which both nations regard the issue.
Minister Fidan characterized Israel’s plan as a dangerous escalation and a clear extension of what Ankara describes as Israel’s policy of territorial expansion and systemic ethnic cleansing. He urged Muslim-majority nations to overcome divisions and unite in a concerted campaign to rally international pressure against Israeli actions in Gaza.
“Israel is pursuing a strategy aimed at the forced displacement of Palestinians through the use of starvation as a weapon,” Fidan said. “This is not merely a military operation, it is a deliberate attempt to permanently occupy Gaza. No country has any justification left to continue supporting Israel.”
Israel has repeatedly denied accusations of using starvation tactics or pursuing genocide in Gaza. It claims that Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that launched a deadly attack on Israeli territory in October 2023, killing around 1,200 people, bears responsibility for the ongoing conflict. Israel has maintained that it would end hostilities if Hamas surrenders.
The Turkish foreign minister revealed that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has been formally invited to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the situation and formulate a coordinated response.
For his part, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aaty warned against what he described as the continuation of “systematic starvation policies and acts of genocide” that, he said, only serve to deepen hatred and fuel extremism across the region. Abdel Aaty also highlighted what he described as Israel’s repeated violations of international law and its ongoing denial of the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights—chief among them, the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.
“There is full coordination between Egypt and Turkey on the Gaza file,” Abdel Aaty said, underscoring the growing diplomatic alignment between the two regional powers after years of political tensions.
In a separate statement issued by the OIC’s ministerial committee, the organization denounced Israel’s reported plans as a “dangerous and unacceptable escalation” and a “blatant violation of international law.” The statement warned that such actions would eliminate any remaining chances for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The OIC called on the United Nations Security Council and the global community at large to shoulder their legal and humanitarian responsibilities. The organization urged immediate international intervention to halt what it described as Israel’s aggressive policies aimed at undermining prospects for a just and lasting peace and destroying any pathway toward a two-state solution.
Furthermore, the OIC emphasized the need for immediate accountability for all violations committed by Israel, including those that may constitute crimes of genocide under international law.
As ceasefire negotiations continue mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States momentum appears to be building for a renewed push by regional actors to not only stop the violence but also to shape the post-war political future of Gaza. However, with Israel and Hamas still locked in a deadly stalemate, the path toward peace remains fraught with uncertainty and geopolitical complexity.
