Cairo peace summit kicks off, condemn Gazans' displacement
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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in his introductory statement, calls upon leaders to reach a consensus on a plan for resolving the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi speaking at Cairo peace summit. (AFP)
Leaders and high-ranking officials from over a dozen nations have convened in Cairo amid increasing concerns of a broader Middle East crisis in the wake of the brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza.
Named the Cairo Peace Summit, envoys from nations such as Jordan, France, Germany, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, the United States, Qatar, and South Africa are participating in the single-day gathering on Saturday. Additionally, United Nations and European Union representatives are in attendance.
Egypt's statement
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in his introductory statement, called upon leaders to reach a consensus on a plan for resolving the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
"We reject the forced displacement of Palestinians to Sinai; this would undermine the Palestinian people's struggle", he said.
He emphasized that "the solution to the Palestinian issue lies in justice, not in relocating an entire population to Egypt."
El-Sisi added, "We are facing an unprecedented crisis that threatens the security and stability of the region and requires efforts to prevent a regional war."
The Egyptian President went on to say that an agreement with President Joe Biden has been reached to maintain operations at the Rafah border crossing, emphasizing that Egypt "did not shut down the Rafah crossing, but the Israeli airstrikes hindered the flow of aid."
He also expressed his astonishment at the global silence in response to the practices of "collective punishment in Gaza," reaffirming Cairo's complete rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians for resettlement in Egypt and the importance of providing international protection for the Palestinian people.
Jordan's statement
On his account, Jordan’s King Abdullah addressed the summit by affirming that "the relentless bombing campaign underway in Gaza is cruel and unconscionable on every level. It is the collective punishment of besieged and helpless people. It is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. It is a war crime.”
He added that “anywhere else, attacking civilian infrastructure and deliberately starving an entire population of food, water, electricity, and necessities would be condemned. Accountability would be enforced … but not in Gaza."
Abdullah also observed that the policy of the Israeli leadership, rooted in security rather than peace, has rendered the two-state solution impossible, emphasizing that "the lives of Palestinians are equally valuable to those of Israelis and that the displacement of Gaza's residents is a war crime and a red line for Jordan.
Palestine's statement
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said “We won’t leave, we won't leave, we won't leave, we will remain on our land”.
Abbas also warned against the attacks by the Israeli occupation and settlers on the holy sites in Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa mosque. He further cautioned against attempts to displace Gazans.
He also called for an immediate halt to the brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza and the entry of humanitarian aid, emphasizing that "the cycle of violence renews itself periodically due to the absence of justice and the neglect of Palestinian rights."
Iraq's statement
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani accused “Israel” of breaching international humanitarian laws and expressed that the Palestinian population is enduring a form of mass killing.
"The Palestinian people are facing genocide ... The Zionist entity [Israel] continues to violate all laws, including the laws of war," Al Sudani said.
He reiterated that Iraq is prepared to promptly offer any essential support to the Palestinians.
Saudi Arabia's statement
In the same context, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud urged the international community to obligate "Israel" to respect international law. "We urge the international community to take a strong stand to obligate Israel to respect international laws," the top Saudi diplomat said.
Additionally, Saudi Arabia opposes double standards and selective humanitarian intervention practiced by certain international community members, as stated by the Saudi Foreign Minister.
Bahrain's statement
King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said that ensuring the rights of the Palestinian people is essential for achieving stability in the Middle East.
"There will be no stability in the Middle East without ensuring the rights of the Palestinian people," the king stressed.
UN Secretary-General's statement
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized that it is imperative to take action to resolve the crisis in the Gaza Strip resulting "from the intensification of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict."
"The time has come for action. Action to end this God-awful nightmare. And actions to build the future worthy of the dreams of the children of Palestine, Israel, the region, and our world," Guterres said.
South Africa's statement
In turn, the President of South Africa called on all nations to cease providing weapons to "Israel." He stated, "We urge all parties to halt the violence," expressing his hope to emerge from this summit with a "roadmap to end this crisis."
He also urged the United Nations to "initiate negotiations to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict." Additionally, he voiced his country's rejection of the forced displacement of Gazans.
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This is happening as the health situation in Gaza is catastrophic after four hospitals went out of service, the Ministry of Health's strategic stock in the Strip ran out, and the Ministry of Health announced the killing of more than 4,200 Palestinians and the injury of 13,000 due to the ongoing brutal aggression on Gaza.
