Egypt Daily News – Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday welcomed what it described as a “notable shift” in the positions of key international actors regarding the situation in Gaza, particularly the growing rejection of “Israel’s disgraceful violations in the Strip and its use of military force against civilians.”
In an official statement, the ministry pointed to recent positive developments, such as the joint statement by the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, and Canada, as evidence of this change. Egypt emphasized that these moves reflect “a rightful and overdue alignment by the international community with the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, which have been unjustly denied for decades.”
Cairo expressed its support for these initiatives and its hope that more steps would follow to bring an end to the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. The statement encouraged other nations to join this international momentum, reinforcing the credibility of the global rules-based order.
Egypt also reiterated its long-standing position that the implementation of a two-state solution remains the only viable path to restoring stability, security, and achieving lasting peace in the Middle East.
The joint statement by the leaders of the UK, France, and Canada strongly backed ongoing efforts by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar to reach a ceasefire in Gaza. They also opposed the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and indicated they may consider further measures, including sanctions.
The three leaders condemned “hateful rhetoric” by some members of the Israeli government and threats of forced displacement, stressing that “forced displacement constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law.”
They added: “We will not stand by as Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government continues its outrageous actions,” and criticized Israel’s limited easing of the blockade. “Allowing a minimal amount of food into Gaza is wholly inadequate,” they said.
Israel resumed its heavy bombardment of Gaza on March 18, followed by a new ground incursion after nearly two months of relative calm under a ceasefire deal with Hamas that had been in effect since January 19. Negotiations to extend or advance to a second phase of the deal had stalled.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the Israeli military to take “strong action against Hamas” in response to the group’s alleged refusal to release hostages or agree to ceasefire proposals.
In turn, Hamas held Netanyahu and his government fully responsible for “undermining the ceasefire agreement and placing detainees in Gaza at risk of an unknown fate.”
