Egypt is intensifying consultations to activate the “Gaza truce” and increase the pace of aid
Cairo is intensifying regional and international movements and contacts on a humanitarian and political level, in order to achieve a “decisive turning point” on the crisis front in the Gaza Strip, and in the last few hours an acceleration in the pace of Egyptian movements has emerged. Egypt launched what was described as “the largest aid convoy to Gaza,” with a notable official presence.
While political consultations with eminent Western officials continue in Cairo, according to observers who spoke with Asharq Al-Awsat, the Egyptian authorities are “racing against time” to reach agreements that lead to a ceasefire in the sector, where military operations Israelis have entered their seventh week.
On the political level, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received the President of the European Union Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Saturday and the meeting focused on the developments of the Israeli military escalation in the Palestinian territories, where El-Sisi Sisi affirmed Egypt’s position on the issue of the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, protecting civilians and ensuring the provision of aid to the population of the Gaza Strip who is subjected to enormous human suffering.
According to the statement of the Egyptian presidency, al-Sisi underlined the need for the international community to assume its responsibilities and implement the resolutions of the Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly on the matter and during the meeting he also made the point to the efforts made by Egypt in that context, in addition to welcoming wounded Palestinians and evacuating foreign citizens.
For her part, the President of the European Commission presented her assessment of the developments of the situation in Gaza and underlined “the European Union’s deep appreciation for the fundamental role played by Egypt in this regard”, reads the Egyptian statement. During the meeting, the Egyptian president underlined “the categorical rejection of the displacement of Palestinians, both inside and outside their lands, in particular towards the Egyptian lands of Sinai”, which the president of the European Commission agreed with . affirming the European position of rejection of displacement, and the two sides stated that “the only solution to the Palestinian question lies in achieving a comprehensive and just peace based on the two-state solution, in accordance with approved international references”.
Search for “hacks”
For his part, Ambassador Ali Al-Hafni, Secretary General of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, indicated that Egyptian efforts “are increasing in pace in trying to achieve a breakthrough on the ground, both in the field of humanitarian support and in that of humanitarian support. in the political effort to reach a ceasefire,” noting in At the same time, he stressed that although Egyptian agencies and institutions possess “many accumulated experiences in managing negotiations in such situations,” the difficulties on the ground and in the political situation “they seem unprecedented.”
Al-Hafni added to Asharq Al-Awsat that Egyptian movements and communications are taking place amid “great pressure,” both at the level of the great humanitarian cost of continuing the conflict and at the level of Israel’s continued pressure for the residents of the Gaza Strip. to displace their lands, which makes Cairo’s movements “a race against time””, aware of the risks surrounding Egyptian national security and the “extremely dangerous” impact on the state of peace and security in the Middle East region .
Although the former Egyptian diplomat expressed hope that “a ceasefire agreement will not be reached in the near future due to Israeli stubbornness and arrogance and the struggle for leadership within the war government in Tel Aviv” , added that “do not be surprised by the occurrence of a (sudden turn in the coming period).” This is due to the state of exhaustion that dominates the direct and indirect parties to the conflict and the escalation of internal pressures in Western countries that support Israel.
Egypt has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire and has also engaged in mediation efforts between Israel and Palestinian resistance factions for a prisoner exchange and in recent days has received dozens of Arab and international officials, as well as officials from the Israeli security.
The American “cover-up” continues
Ambassador Rakha Ahmed Hassan, former Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister and member of the Egyptian Council on Foreign Affairs, counted on achieving success in terms of a humanitarian truce or ceasefire to the extent of the pressure exerted by the United States on Israel, noting that “ The American cover for Israeli crimes is still present, which makes Washington complicit in the crimes committed,” he said, considering the American position an indication of the lack of conviction so far in the need for a ceasefire.
Hassan stressed in statements to Asharq Al-Awsat that rapid European moves in the region “cannot be understood in the context of an agreement or imminent pressure on Israel,” considering that these moves aim to reduce popular pressure in many European capitals on the political decision in support of Israel, referring to the official calm movements.
He also stressed that these moves “aim to give Israel time to complete its plans in Gaza, the most dangerous of which is to push the population towards Egyptian territory through repeated targeting,” describing the American and Western position on this regard as “accomplice.”
The former Egyptian deputy foreign minister considered Egyptian movements and pressure coordinated with international organizations to bring aid and support the flow of some of the needs of the residents of the Gaza Strip, “an attempt to derail the plans of the Israeli occupation ”. Because he supports the steadfastness of the people of Gaza in their lands”, which according to him “serves Egyptian and Arab national security”.
Fuel trucks and medical devices
In the field, on Saturday morning, for the third consecutive day, 3 fuel trucks, carrying 129,000 liters of fuel, passed from the Rafah crossing towards the Palestinian side, which will enter Gaza according to Egyptian efforts and pressure on the territory. coordination with the United States and Israel.
On Saturday, Egypt launched what official statements described as “the largest global convoy of humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza”, provided by the Long Live Egypt Fund, and includes 190 trucks containing more than 2,510 tons of basic necessities. as well as medical equipment and several ambulances.
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, who witnessed the convoy of trucks crossing the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, and several ministers, said that the Egyptian state “spares no effort to stand by the brotherly Palestinian people and provide various forms of humanitarian aid”. to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, who find themselves facing these conditions.” “The painful one.”
Madbouly stressed that the humanitarian support to the residents of the Gaza Strip coincides with the continuation of Egyptian efforts with various regional and international actors to calm the situation in the Strip, underlining that more than two-thirds of the aid arriving in the Gaza Strip so far comes from from Egypt, while the other third comes from the contributions of other peoples, of the world combined. The Egyptian prime minister added: “It is not a matter of boasting, but rather an automatic and natural reaction on the part of the Egyptian state, its various institutions and its people.”
