The Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the EU’s high representative for foreign policy rejects the plans of the Israeli invasion of Rafah

AA / Cairo / Ibrahim Khazen

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell confirmed on Sunday their opposition to Israel’s plan to attack Rafah, a city located in the south of the Gaza Strip. .

This comes from their interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, which is being held for two days in the Saudi capital Riyadh, we can read in the press release of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the statement, Shoukry and Borrell wanted to “exchange their assessments and the results of their contacts with various regional and international parties in order to end the war in Gaza and end the humanitarian tragedy experienced by the residents” of the enclave.

The Egyptian foreign minister also informed Borrell about the developments in the ongoing negotiations between Hamas and Israel, with the aim of achieving a truce and exchange of prisoners, as well as improving access to humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, the statement added.

Both sides reiterated their rejection of any Israeli military ground operations in the southern town of Rafah, near the border with Egypt.

In this regard, Shoukry emphasized that it is important that the EU and active international parties “put pressure on Israel to prevent this military operation and put an end to all attempts to implement the scenario of forced displacement of the residents of the Gaza Strip or the liquidation of the Palestinian issue.”

According to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, the two sides also agreed to hold close consultations to end the war in Gaza and launch a serious and effective political process, with the aim of a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue – a state solution leading to the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

Israel is determined to launch a ground offensive on Rafah, saying it is the last stronghold of Hamas in Palestinian territory.

Tel Aviv is ignoring growing international warnings about the catastrophic consequences of this operation, given the presence of some 1.4 million displaced people in the area.

Israel has killed more than 34,400 Palestinians since the cross-border invasion led by Hamas on October 7, which reportedly left 1,200 dead and around 250 prisoners.

The conflict has forced 85% of Gaza’s population to move within the territory, amid severe shortages of food, drinking water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

Israel is being prosecuted before the International Court of Justice for the crime of genocide. The order, issued in January, ordered Tel Aviv to prevent acts of a genocidal nature and to guarantee the delivery of humanitarian aid to the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

*Translated from English by Mourad Belhaj

Only a part of the dispatches, which Anadolu Agency broadcasts to its subscribers through the Internal Broadcasting System (HAS), is broadcast on the AA website, in a condensed form. Please contact us to subscribe.