Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt is fully involved in ongoing diplomatic efforts to advance the second phase of a peace plan for Gaza, Foreign Minister, Minister of Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty said, underscoring Cairo’s central role in regional mediation aimed at consolidating the ceasefire and restoring stability to the besieged enclave.
Speaking during a joint press conference in Cairo on Sunday with South Sudan’s Foreign Minister Semaya Kumba, Abdelatty said Egypt is holding intensive consultations with partners and friendly countries to ensure the successful launch of the next phase of the plan. His remarks came in response to a question from the Middle East News Agency regarding Egypt’s efforts to uphold the ceasefire agreement and move forward with the US-backed initiative.
Abdelatty emphasized that the second phase of the Gaza peace plan is particularly significant, as it addresses core political and security issues. Chief among these, he said, is Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The phase also includes discussions on the surrender of weapons, the deployment of an international force, and the establishment of a Peace Council to oversee the transition.
In addition, the plan envisions the formation of an interim Palestinian technocratic committee to administer Gaza, along with the training of Palestinian police forces tasked with maintaining law and order and ensuring security and stability across the territory.
The foreign minister noted that diplomatic contacts remain ongoing at multiple levels. He pointed to a recent meeting in Miami that brought together mediators from Egypt and Qatar, alongside representatives from Turkey and the United States, as part of broader efforts to coordinate international positions and push the process forward.
Abdelatty also warned that continued Israeli attacks, which he said are occurring on a daily basis, threaten the fragile calm and underscore the need for an international force on the ground. Such a force, he argued, would be essential to monitor violations, identify those responsible, and help prevent further escalation.
Expressing cautious optimism, Abdelatty said he hoped concrete steps could be taken in the coming period to begin the practical implementation of the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, provided the necessary political will and guarantees are secured.
Beyond Gaza, the Egyptian foreign minister voiced deep concern over the situation in the occupied West Bank. He cited what he described as illegal measures announced by the Israeli government that constitute serious violations of international law, as well as acts of intimidation and violence carried out by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians.
Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s position that lasting peace and stability in the region cannot be achieved without addressing the root causes of the conflict, respecting international law, and safeguarding the rights of the Palestinian people.
