{"id":609191,"date":"2023-11-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2023\/11\/01\/madbouly-slams-israeli-plans-to-push-displaced-gazans-into-egypt\/"},"modified":"2023-11-01T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-01T00:00:00","slug":"madbouly-slams-israeli-plans-to-push-displaced-gazans-into-egypt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2023\/11\/01\/madbouly-slams-israeli-plans-to-push-displaced-gazans-into-egypt\/","title":{"rendered":"Madbouly slams Israeli plans to push displaced Gazans into Egypt"},"content":{"rendered":"

Egypt has denounced Israel\u2019s plan to push displaced Palestinians into <\/strong>Gaza <\/strong>in the <\/strong>strongest terms yet<\/strong>, with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly yesterday raising the threat of hostilities if officials in Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s government try to push ahead with the plan. \u201cWe are prepared to sacrifice mns of lives to ensure that no one encroaches upon [Sinai],\u201d the prime minister <\/span>said in a speech<\/a> in North Sinai yesterday, where he announced the government\u2019s EGP-bns plan to develop the governorate.<\/span><\/p>\n

A leaked Israeli plan has raised concerns in Cairo:<\/strong> The PM\u2019s statement came a day after reports in the Israeli<\/a> and Western press<\/a> showed that the Israeli government had drawn up plans to resettle Gaza\u2019s population in the Sinai \u2014 and that Netanyahu has been lobbying European leaders for support<\/strong>. Israel has displaced 1.4 mn civilians and driven 800k<\/a> from the north to the south of the territory, and the fear in Cairo is that it will try to force them across the border with the blessing of some of its key Western backers. \u201cWe will not give up a single meter of Sinai land,\u201d Madbouly <\/strong>said<\/a><\/strong> yesterday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is the strongest statement yet from an Egyptian official: <\/strong>Egyptian officials have been voicing their opposition against the forced displacement of Gazans since the war broke out. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has on several occasions publicly rejected the idea<\/a> in front of visiting foreign officials, including during a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz when he mockingly told the Israelis to resettle them in the Negev<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Western officials are distancing themselves from the idea<\/strong>,the US more forcefully so, with a White House readout<\/a> of a conversation between President Biden and Jordan\u2019s King Abdullah saying it is \u201ccritical\u201d to avoid the forcible displacement of Palestinians. Both Biden<\/a> and Secretary of State Antony Blinken<\/a> previously voiced opposition to the idea. The EU is also looking to distance itself from claims in the Financial Times that some of its member states are on board, with the bloc\u2019s Middle East peace envoy yesterday rejecting the idea<\/a> in an interview with The National<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The state\u2019s plans for North Sinai: <\/strong>The government plans to invest some EGP 363 bn in North Sinai over the coming five years as part of its efforts to develop the area, Madbouly said<\/a> yesterday. The government is giving mixed signals about the timing of this announcement, with cabinet spokesman Sameh El Khashin saying last night that it has a direct correlation with the current push for Egypt to take in displaced Gazans (watch, runtime: 3:04<\/a>), while Madbouly implied<\/a> that the announcement was coincidental.<\/p>\n

Medical treatment for some injured Palestinians: <\/strong>Officials here are expected to allow thousands of injured Palestinians to cross the border at Rafah and receive treatment in hospitals that have been set up in the Sinai, the Wall Street Journa<\/a> l reported this morning, citing senior Egyptian officials. Gaza\u2019s General Authority for Crossings and Borders in Gaza said<\/a> last night that 81 people will be received by Egyptian medics. <\/p>\n

Some foreign nationals will be able to leave: <\/strong>Egypt will allow up to 400 foreigners stuck in Gaza to leave starting today, according to the WSJ. Egypt struck an agreement with Israel, the US, and Hamas to allow foreigners and severely injured Gazans to cross into Egypt, the newspaper reports.<\/p>\n

FURY AS ISRAEL BOMBS REFUGEE CAMP-<\/strong><\/p>\n

As many as 120 dead in Israeli airstrike:<\/strong> Dozens of people have died when several Israeli airstrikes hit the densely-populated Jabalia refugee camp in north Gaza yesterday. The number of people killed in the attack remains uncertain, with the Gaza Health Ministry putting the death toll at 50 and the number of injured at 150. The Indonesian Hospital provided a sharply higher figure, saying it had received 400 casualties, 120 of whom had died. At least six missiles were said to be dropped in the same area. Doctors Without Borders said<\/a> it was \u201chorrified\u201d by the attack.<\/p>\n

Who died is also disputed:<\/strong> The Israeli Defense Forces<\/a> claimed to have killed a senior Hamas commander and a \u201clarge number of terrorists\u201d in the attack, as well as destroying some of the group\u2019s underground tunnels. Hamas denied<\/a> the claim, saying that none of its leadership were in Jabalia during the attack. <\/p>\n

Arab nations condemn the attack: <\/strong>Egypt<\/a>, Jordan<\/a>, Saudi Arabia<\/a>, Qatar<\/a>, and the UAE<\/a> all condemned in the strongest terms the attack on Jabalia, with Egypt calling it a \u201cnew flagrant violation of international law.\u201d The Qatari Foreign Ministry warned that the expansion of Israeli attacks \u201cwould undermine mediation and de-escalation efforts.\u201d <\/p>\n

Some South American states are saying enough is enough:<\/strong> Bolivia became the first country to cut diplomatic ties<\/a> with Israel yesterday over what it said were \u201ccrimes against humanity\u201d being committed by the IDF. Meanwhile, Chilean President Gabriel Boric announced<\/a> he had recalled the country\u2019s ambassador to Israel following the attack in Jabaliya. <\/p>\n

The US has (slightly) hardened its tone:<\/strong> Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the importance of taking \u201cfeasible precautions\u201d to avoid harming civilians during a call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog last night, a State Department spokesperson said<\/a>. Meanwhile, in a call with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin emphasized<\/a> \u201cthe urgency of protecting civilians \u2026 and conducting operations in accordance with the Law of War.\u201d<\/p>\n

Death toll rises: <\/strong>The attacks on Gaza have so far killed 8.5k, over 3.5k of which are children, according to figures from the Palestinian Health Ministry<\/a>. The attacks have wounded 21.5k and left 2k bodies trapped under rubble since Israel started its ground invasion of Gaza after the Hamas attack on 7 October.<\/p>\n

AID-<\/strong><\/p>\n

Aid deliveries to Gaza are increasing:<\/strong>The Palestinian Red Crescent<\/a> last night received 59 trucks of humanitarian aid \u2014 the largest single day wave of aid so far \u2014 through the Rafah crossing, pushing the total number of trucks that crossed into Gaza since 7 October to 217. <\/p>\n

Egypt is working on sending more aid:<\/strong> The head of the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini<\/a>, was in Cairo yesterday to discuss accelerating aid efforts with Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. The US Middle East humanitarian envoy David Satterfield was in town a few days ago<\/a> for similar talks. Egypt has accused Israel of obstructing the rapid delivery of aid to the besieged territory.<\/p>\n

DIPLOMACY-<\/strong><\/p>\n