Egypt Condemns Israeli Attempts to Fragment Palestinian Territories: FM Abdelatty

Cairo(The Uttam Hindu): Egypt has firmly rejected Israeli attempts to fragment Palestinian territories by separating the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, stated Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. Abdelatty made these comments during a meeting in Cairo with a visiting delegation from the Palestinian Fatah movement, headed by Jibril Rajoub, the secretary-general of the Fatah Central Committee, as per an official statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. The talks focused on recent developments amidst Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza and the West Bank, which the ministry described as a "dangerous Israeli escalation," according to Xinhua news agency.

The foreign minister outlined Egypt’s efforts to reinstate a ceasefire and ensure the resumption of humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip, stressing Cairo’s unwavering support for the Palestinian Authority (PA). Abdelatty reiterated Egypt's strong opposition to the current Israeli military actions in Gaza and the West Bank, condemning Israel’s "aggressive policies" and the use of force that disregards international humanitarian law. He also emphasized Egypt's stance against the displacement of Palestinians from their land and mentioned an Arab-Islamic initiative for Gaza's reconstruction. Egypt continues to advocate for stronger Palestinian unity under the PA, Abdelatty added, with the aim of achieving a lasting solution based on the creation of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Fatah delegation, for its part, briefed Abdelatty on efforts to achieve internal Palestinian reconciliation, which they consider a critical step toward the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, according to Palestinian news agency WAFA. The delegation also expressed gratitude to Egypt for its coordinated efforts with all involved parties to restore the Gaza ceasefire and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people, WAFA reported. Egypt, along with Qatar and the US, has been playing a key role in mediating between Israel and Palestinian factions. As of Saturday, local health authorities reported that at least 1,309 Palestinians have been killed and 3,184 others injured since Israel resumed its airstrikes on Gaza on March 18.