President El-Sisi Declares Egypt Will Mobilize Millions Against Israel's Attempt to Force Gaza Residents into Sinai

In a powerful statement, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt has declared that Egyptians will mobilize "in their millions" to oppose any attempt by Israel to force residents of Gaza into Sinai. He warned that such a move would transform the peninsula into a base for staging attacks on Israel. The president's comments came during a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Cairo, where they discussed the escalating conflict in Gaza and its potential impact on regional security. President El-Sisi also expressed his deep condolences for the victims of the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital bombing in Gaza, which claimed the lives of approximately 500 Palestinians. He declared three days of national mourning in Egypt for the innocent victims of this "criminal bombing" and all the martyrs among the Palestinian people.

Emphasizing Egypt's condemnation of military actions that target civilians, President El-Sisi called on the international community to intervene immediately to stop these deliberate practices. He stressed the need for concerted efforts by all regional and international parties to achieve an immediate cessation of the military escalation, warning of the security and humanitarian repercussions that could spiral out of control if the current operations continue.

President El-Sisi firmly rejected any attempts to resolve the Palestinian issue through military means or the forced displacement of Palestinians from their land. He expressed concerns about Gaza residents being forced to take refuge in Egypt and reiterated that Egypt would not accept such a situation. The president assured that if Gaza residents were displaced to Sinai, the Egyptian people would protest in their millions if called upon to do so.

Furthermore, President El-Sisi called for a comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian cause through an independent state based on the June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He also highlighted the urgent need to protect civilians and ensure their safety, echoing the sentiments of German Chancellor Scholz, who called for an investigation into the hospital bombing. It is crucial to address the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, and President El-Sisi called for the opening of humanitarian and aid corridors to the enclave. He clarified that while developments on the ground and Israeli strikes on the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing have obstructed its operation, Egypt has not closed the crossing since the crisis began. The president affirmed that if conditions ease,

Egypt would receive and redirect humanitarian assistance to Gaza through the Rafah crossing. Egypt's stance on the forced displacement of Palestinians to Sinai has garnered support from Hamas official Osama Hamdan, who called for rallying around this position at both the popular and Arab official level. Jordan, which shares a border with the Israeli-occupied West Bank and has absorbed many Palestinian refugees, has similarly warned against any forced displacement. Egypt remains concerned about the security situation near its border with Gaza in northeastern Sinai, where an Islamist insurgency has been ongoing for a decade.

President El-Sisi emphasized that any transfer of Palestinians to Sinai would only shift the idea of resistance and combat from Gaza to Sinai, making the peninsula a launchpad for attacks against Israel. The international community must heed President El-Sisi's call and take immediate action to bring an end to the violence and protect the rights and well-being of civilians in Gaza. The need for a comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue, based on international law and the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people, is more urgent than ever.