Egypt’s Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly, has unequivocally stated that Egypt opposes all forms of attacks on civilians “from both sides.” He emphasized that Egypt does not support the events that unfolded on 7 October against Israeli citizens. However, the Israeli reaction was nothing short of shocking, resulting in collective punishment for all residents of the Gaza Strip.
During a dialogue session on the situation in Gaza, held as part of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Madbouly highlighted the devastating impact on approximately 2.5 million Palestinian citizens residing in Gaza. The death toll exceeded 34,000 people, with 77,000 injured and nearly 7,000 trapped under rubble.
Even if mediation efforts lead to a ceasefire today, the road to recovery is long. We are talking about decades until Gaza can return to its pre-7 October state.
From day one, Egypt has stood in support of the Palestinians. Over 85% of the humanitarian aid reaching Gaza was mobilised by the Egyptian government and civil society. Despite the Rafah crossing primarily serving people (rather than trucks or goods), Egypt kept it open throughout the day to facilitate aid passage.
“We tried to pass all types of aid on our part, even though the Rafah crossing is not a crossing for trucks or goods, but mainly for people. However, we opened it from the first day, and it remains open throughout the day on our part to try to pass all types of aid,” Madbouly said.
The current situation in Palestinian Rafah is dire. Over 1.1 million displaced Palestinians from northern and central Gaza, along with 250,000 Rafah residents, face immense challenges. Any attack on these vulnerable populations would be catastrophic, potentially triggering a mass exodus in search of safety.
Madbouly emphasised that while Egypt remains committed to providing humanitarian support, the political perspective cannot be ignored. Displacement would undoubtedly contribute to the complete liquidation of the Palestinian cause.
Madbouly said: “From a humanitarian point of view, the Egyptian government is ready to provide all kinds of support to the Palestinian people, but from a political perspective, this displacement will certainly contribute to the complete liquidation of the Palestinian cause.”
The solution lies in a two-state framework, and the world must work tirelessly to halt attacks and address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
He said: “The whole world must come together to recognize the right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state.”
Regarding negotiations between Hamas and Israel, Madbouly acknowledged the complexity. Core issues demand compromise, but internal political pressures hinder progress.
Madbouly said: “We are hosting talks between the two parties on specific issues, but the core issues still require a compromise by the two parties.”
Egypt shoulders the responsibility of hosting over 9 million people from the region and Africa, despite its economic challenges, at an annual cost exceeding 10 billion US dollars.
