Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon blasting recent statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of attempting to deflect Israeli public attention and disrupt ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire and exchange of hostages in Gaza.
In a statement released on 3 September, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Netanyahu’s remarks, which were made the previous day, as an attempt to shift blame and justify Israel’s aggressive policies in the region.
Netanyahu’s statements have sparked significant controversy, particularly his claims regarding the alleged smuggling of weapons into Gaza through the Egypt-Gaza border.
Speaking to Israeli media on 2 September, Netanyahu criticized Egypt’s handling of border security, suggesting that Hamas has been able to rearm and fortify itself. He specifically cited the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow strip along the Gaza-Egypt border, as a critical pathway for Hamas’s rearmament, arguing that Israeli control over this area is essential to national security.
Netanyahu’s remarks extended beyond current events, implicating past Egyptian leaders, including former President Hosni Mubarak and former President Mohamed Morsi. He alleged that security failures during their tenures contributed to the current situation, enabling the flow of weapons into Gaza. According to Netanyahu, these security lapses have turned Gaza into a formidable threat to Israel, necessitating Israeli control over the Philadelphi Corridor to prevent further escalation.
Netanyahu also outlined Israel’s four key war aims, which include the destruction of Hamas, the safe return of hostages, the elimination of Gaza as a threat to Israel, and the protection of Israeli citizens along the northern border with Lebanon. He emphasized that controlling the Philadelphi Corridor is critical to achieving three of these objectives, declaring, “We must make permanent the fact that we are there.”
In response, the Egyptian government has strongly rejected Netanyahu’s accusations. Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Israeli leader’s claims were unfounded and provocative. The Foreign Ministry also reaffirmed its longstanding position against any Israeli presence in the Philadelphi Corridor as part of any ceasefire agreement.
Earlier this week, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reiterated this stance on Monday, emphasizing that Israeli control over the corridor is unacceptable and would not be tolerated by Egypt.
Furthermore, Egypt has consistently denied allegations that it is a source of weapons smuggling into Gaza. Egyptian officials have refuted claims that tunnels along the 14-kilometre Egypt-Gaza border are being used to smuggle arms, emphasizing their commitment to regional peace and security. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that such accusations only serve to exacerbate tensions and undermine efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Over 40,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children, have reportedly been killed since Israel’s war on Gaza began on 7 October, according to the latest data from Reuters. An additional 92,500 people have been injured, with countless others trapped under the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes.
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