Egypt to US: No to Gaza population transfer
Shafaq News/ Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aaty told senior US officials on Tuesday that Cairo "firmly" opposes any forced displacement of Palestinians.
The remarks came during talks on the sidelines of the Middle East–America Dialogue Conference in Abu Dhabi, where Abdel Aaty met with Morgan Ortagus, Deputy US Special Envoy to the Middle East, and Tim Lenderking, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, according to a statement from Egypt's Foreign Ministry.
Abdel Aaty stressed the need to restore calm in Gaza, implement the three-phase ceasefire plan, and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian, medical, and shelter assistance. He also reiterated Egypt's support for the Arab- and Islamic-backed Gaza reconstruction initiative, endorsed by the European Union and other international partners.
He called for closer coordination with the United States to advance a sustainable peace process and reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.
The talks come as Israeli military operations resume in Gaza, following the collapse of earlier ceasefire efforts, and US President Donald Trump repeating calls suggesting Gaza could be placed under American control, describing it as 'valuable oceanfront real estate,' fueling concern over population transfer scenarios and the territory's future governance.
Earlier, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Jordan's King Abdullah II, and French President Emmanuel Macron held a joint call with Trump before his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, urging an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and full humanitarian access to Gaza.
Following a summit in Cairo, the three leaders issued a joint statement also calling for international support for the Arab League's Gaza reconstruction plan and renewed efforts to revive a credible political process.
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