{"id":608089,"date":"2023-10-15T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-15T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2023\/10\/15\/egypt-condemns-israels-forced-displacement-of-palestinians-demands-israel-and-the-us-allow-aid-to-enter-gaza\/"},"modified":"2023-10-15T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-10-15T00:00:00","slug":"egypt-condemns-israels-forced-displacement-of-palestinians-demands-israel-and-the-us-allow-aid-to-enter-gaza","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2023\/10\/15\/egypt-condemns-israels-forced-displacement-of-palestinians-demands-israel-and-the-us-allow-aid-to-enter-gaza\/","title":{"rendered":"Egypt condemns Israel\u2019s forced displacement of Palestinians, demands Israel and the US allow aid to enter Gaza"},"content":{"rendered":"

Egypt condemns Gaza displacement, demands aid entry to prevent <\/strong>humanitarian catastrophe:<\/strong> Israel\u2019s order that some 1 mn Palestinians in Gaza leave their homes is a \u201cgrave violation\u201d of international law, Egypt\u2019s Foreign Ministry said<\/a> Friday after the Israeli military told residents of Gaza City to move south. The ministry urged the UN Security Council to intervene to prevent Israel from escalating its attacks and driving people from their homes, which the UN said would trigger a humanitarian catastrophe. <\/p>\n

The situation on the ground is dire:<\/strong>According to the UN\u2019s Palestine refugee agency<\/a>, almost half of Gaza\u2019s population has now been displaced, a process which accelerated over the weekend as civilians fled south in fear of further bombardment by the Israeli military. The territory is now facing a \u201csevere shortage\u201d of water, the UN said, as Israel\u2019s total siege prevents clean water, food, fuel and humanitarian aid from entering. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Shtayyeh on Thursday said that Israel\u2019s actions amount to genocide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Everyone is bracing for an invasion:<\/strong> Israel said troops are getting ready for \u201ca significant ground operation \u2026 [including] an integrated and coordinated attack from the air, sea and land,\u201d the New York Times<\/a> reports Israel\u2019s military as having said. Israel has yet to announce when it plans to invade.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Egypt rejects calls to resettle Palestinians in Egypt:<\/strong> In a speech Thursday, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi rejected calls by Israel and Western nations to allow Gazans into Egypt, saying that Palestinians should remain on their land and warning that leaving the strip could \u201cliquidate\u201d their cause (watch, runtime: 19:53<\/a>). State news agency MENA<\/a> last week quoted an unnamed security source accusing Israel of carrying out a plan to forcibly transfer the population of Gaza into Egypt. \u201cThe occupation government is forcing Palestinians to choose between death under bombing or displacement outside their lands,\u201d it quoted the official as saying.<\/p>\n

Arab nations warn against displacement:<\/strong> The Saudi<\/a> and Qatari<\/a> foreign ministries expressed their \u201ccategorical rejection\u201d of Israel\u2019s displacement of the Palestinians, Jordan\u2019s King Abdullah II warned against<\/a> \u201cany attempt to forcibly displace\u201d Gaza\u2019s population, and Arab League chair Ahmed Aboul Gheit called on<\/a> UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to condemn the \u201cinsane Israeli effort to transfer the population.\u201d<\/p>\n

Backing from <\/strong>Turkey<\/strong>: <\/strong>\u201cWe reject the policy of Palestinians' being removed from their homes in Gaza and exiled into Egypt. We are fully against it and stand with Egypt,\u201d Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said in a press conference following talks with El Sisi<\/a> and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Cairo on Saturday, according to Reuters<\/a>. The Turkish Foreign Ministry had earlier condemned<\/a> Israel\u2019s \u201cbrutal and indiscriminate\u201d attacks on Gaza.<\/p>\n

Western nations are reportedly trying to use Egypt\u2019s economic crisis as leverage:<\/strong> \u201cWe understand there have been offers to Egypt by some western governments for debt forgiveness and direct investment in return for a more flexible position on Gaza,\u201d a senior Cairo-based banker reportedly told the National<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Allow in aid or no-one gets out, says Egypt:<\/strong> Egypt is refusing to allow citizens of western countries to evacuate Gaza via the Rafah crossing until Israel and the US agree to allow in humanitarian aid, the Wall<\/a>Street Journal<\/a> reported last night. US officials had been in negotiations with Egyptian authorities to allow its citizens to cross the border into Egypt. \u201cWe can\u2019t allow a few foreigners out and not allow humanitarian aid in for the Palestinians who will be stuck there,\u201d said one Egyptian official.<\/p>\n

No mercy:<\/strong> \u201cHumanitarian aid to Gaza? No electrical switch will be lifted, no water hydrant will be opened and no fuel truck will enter until the Israeli hostages are returned home,\u201d Israel\u2019s energy minister wrote on X<\/a> (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Aid is being flown into Egypt: <\/strong>The Foreign Ministry on Thursday called on<\/a> countries and international organizations who wish to help Gaza out to send aid to El Arish airport, which the government has designated as a spot for aid collection. Two flights carrying aid, including one from Turkey, landed at the airport yesterday, bringing the total number that have arrived since the conflict started to at least five, according to Reuters<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The flurry of diplomatic activity continued over the weekend<\/strong> as regional leaders scrambled to avert a humanitarian disaster and prevent the conflict from dragging in neighboring countries.<\/p>\n