Egypt on Thursday rejected accusations that it is contributing to the siege of the Gaza Strip by preventing the entry of humanitarian aid, denouncing the claims as “malicious propaganda” and stating that the Rafah crossing is blocked by Israeli forces on the Palestinian side.
In a statement, Cairo condemned what it called “unjustified accusations” and stressed their “superficiality and illogical nature.” It said the claims contradict Egypt’s position and interests, and ignore the role it has played since the start of the Israeli aggression on the enclave.
The statement highlighted Egypt’s “strenuous efforts” to reach a ceasefire, its leadership in relief operations and the delivery of humanitarian aid through the Rafah crossing, and its efforts to promote an Arab-backed plan for the reconstruction of the Strip. These actions, it said, are aimed at saving innocent Palestinians, enabling them to remain on their land, and resisting attempts at forced displacement.
Egypt said it was fully aware that “malicious organisations and entities” are behind the propaganda, which it said aims only to create mistrust among Arab peoples and to distract Arab and international public opinion from the real causes of the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
“Egypt affirms that the Rafah crossing has never been closed from the Egyptian side, and that the crossing on the Palestinian side is occupied by the Israeli occupation authority, which prevents access through it,” the statement read.
Cairo called for extreme caution in dealing with the “lies being deliberately promoted” by using the tragedy of the Palestinian people to serve “malicious narratives” that are part of the war and aim to sow division.
The statement concluded by affirming that Egypt will continue its efforts to alleviate the suffering of the people of the Strip, secure a ceasefire, ensure the entry of humanitarian aid, and begin reconstruction.
It also said it would continue its efforts to unify the West Bank and Gaza, ensure the territorial continuity of Palestinian lands, and start a political process to implement the two-state solution and establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy and the lines of June 4, 1967.
