By Mary Nady
Diaa Rashwan, the Chief of the State Information Service (SIS), conveyed Egypt’s sincere regret regarding the violation of the humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip in a press release on Thursday.
This truce, facilitated by Egyptian mediation in partnership with Qatar and the United States, resulted in the successful release of 240 Palestinian women and children from Israeli prisons. In exchange, 81 Israelis and 22 individuals of various nationalities held in Gaza were released.
Moreover, the truce played a vital role in enabling the regular delivery of humanitarian assistance, aid, and fuel to the besieged population in Gaza.
Rashwan emphasized Egypt’s continuous efforts, in cooperation with its allies, to quickly reinstate the truce and extend it for further periods. The aim is to achieve a comprehensive halt to hostilities, thereby ending the suffering of the Palestinian people. In the meantime, Egypt remains dedicated to collaborating with its partners to swiftly resume the ceasefire.
Emphasizing Egypt’s position since the beginning of the conflict, Rashwan stressed that the Palestinian cause is a matter of Egyptian national security. Egypt has consistently upheld the historical rights of the Palestinian people to establish an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the borders of June 4, 1967.
The criticism of Israel’s practice of collective punishment and rejection of the criminal actions of the occupying army were reiterated. Egypt strongly disapproves of Israel’s deliberate targeting of civilians, including children and women, as well as essential infrastructure such as hospitals and schools. Egypt also firmly opposes Israel’s policy of forced displacement in Gaza, regarding it as a red line that undermines national security and sovereignty.
Rashwan shed light on the dire situation in Gaza, outlining the humanitarian aid provided by Egypt, including the opening of the Rafah border crossing for individuals and goods.