Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said on Friday that the future Palestinian state could be demilitarized with the presence of temporary international security forces to ensure his and Israel’s security, while stressing that the “two-state solution” is been “exhausted.”
Al-Sisi confirmed, during a joint press conference in Cairo with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, that “we said that we are ready for the demilitarization of this country, and also that there are guarantees of forces , be they NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) forces or forces.” From the United Nations or from the Arab or American forces as you see fit, until we achieve security for both states, the nascent Palestinian state and the Israeli one state.”
Al-Sisi added that the political solution requiring the creation of a Palestinian state on the borders of 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, is still far-fetched.
The Egyptian president stressed that “reviving the path of the two-state solution is an exhausted idea and may not be what is needed.”
He added: “We need to move differently, that is, recognize the Palestinian state and include it in the United Nations… This gives seriousness.”
Arab countries have rejected proposals to send an Arab force to provide security in the Gaza Strip following the end of Israel’s current military operation against Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007.
Sisi’s words came on the day a truce between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip came into force, which will be accompanied by the release of hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinian factions in exchange for the release of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons .
The truce was concluded through the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States following the violent Israeli bombing campaign that began on October 7.
Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on the Jewish state that day, killing 1,200 people, most of them civilians, according to Israeli authorities. Hamas and other Palestinian factions have been holding around 240 hostages in the Gaza Strip since the attack.
Since then, Israel has carried out a devastating bombardment of Gaza, killing 14,854 people, including more than 6,000 children, according to Hamas authorities.