Egyptian President Firmly Reminds Israel Not To Force Palestinians In Gaza To Evacuate To Sinai Peninsula

Rafah crossing. (Wikimedia Commons/Al Jazeera English)

JAKARTA - President Abdel Fattah El Sisi warned that Israel's plan to attack Rafah should not force Palestinians in Gaza to flee to the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt.

Israel said its troops had to enter Rafah City to complete its goal of destroying the remaining Hamas troops and freeing other hostages held hostage from southern Israel in October.

Four of the remaining six Hamas battalions are stationed in Rafah, Israel said. On the other hand, an estimated one million Palestinians displaced by Israel's six-month war in Gaza seek refuge in Rafah.

"Egypt's position was clear from the start: we completely reject the forced eviction of Palestinians from their land to Sinai or anywhere to prevent the liquidation of the Palestinian struggle and protect Egypt's national security," President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said in a statement. April 26th.

This was conveyed when there were increased signs that Israel was preparing to launch a full-scale ground offensive against Rafah, which Egypt, the United States, and the United Nations had warned would significantly increase civilian casualties in Gaza, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave.

The growing situation left the United States and 17 other countries on Thursday asking Hamas to release the hostages and accept a ceasefire agreement that is currently being discussed as a way to end the war, allowing Palestinians who have lost their homes to return to their homes and increase the entry of aid to Gaza, which has been destroyed by the conflict.

"We emphasize the agreement to release the hostages will result in an immediate and protracted ceasefire in Gaza," the statement said.

"This will facilitate the additional wave of humanitarian aid needed to be distributed throughout Gaza and lead to an end to hostilities," he continued.

Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been trying to mediate a ceasefire in Gaza for months, but have yet to bear fruit, with Israel and Hamas refusing to give concessions.

Hamas insisted the deal should include the full withdrawal of the Israeli army and a permanent ceasefire, demands rejected by Israel because they are considered mere imagination.