Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, a central mediator in ceasefire talks, dismissed Israeli suggestions that Palestinians leaving Gaza amounts to “voluntary displacement,” calling the idea “nonsense.”
Speaking at a press conference in Cairo on Saturday alongside Philippe Lazzarini, head of the United Nations (U.N.) agency for Palestinian refugees, Abdelatty said Israel’s actions were forcing civilians from their land.
“If there is a manmade famine (in Gaza), it is to push residents out of their land. It is nonsense to say that this is voluntary displacement,” he told reporters.
His remarks came after Israel urged Gaza City residents to head south as its forces pressed deeper into the territory’s largest urban area.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Palestinians should be able to leave voluntarily, describing it as a basic human right during wartime.
Egypt, which has hosted multiple rounds of negotiations, is pushing for a new ceasefire.
Abdelatty said he spoke on Friday with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff to intensify efforts to implement the latest proposal, but accused Israel of blocking progress.
Hamas announced last month it had accepted a 60-day truce plan that would see the release of half the hostages in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
The deal also called for Israel to suspend military operations for two months and laid out a framework for ending the nearly two-year conflict.
Netanyahu rejected the terms, saying Israel would only continue negotiations under conditions acceptable to its security needs, and vowed operations would resume immediately after any temporary pause.
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China has urged the United States to avoid any official interaction with Taiwan, warning that such contacts send the “wrong signals” to supporters of Taiwan independence.
Russian social media company VK has accused Apple of removing its applications from the App Store without prior notice, prompting the Kremlin to demand an explanation from the U.S. technology giant.
A Taliban ban on smartphones for civil servants has raised fresh concerns over access to information in Afghanistan, with rights groups warning it could further isolate government employees and tighten the authorities' control over public life.
EU climate ministers were joined by an unexpected guest at a council meeting in Luxembourg: a three-month-old baby, brought by Swedish climate minister Romina Pourmokhtari to highlight parental leave policies.
Russia has called for clarification on whether U.S. President Donald Trump has changed his position on the war in Ukraine following remarks made at the recent G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains.
As Western Europe battles a deadly heatwave that has shattered temperature records, disrupted transport and power supplies, and forced the closure of schools and cultural landmarks, attention is turning to whether El Niño is playing a role in the extreme conditions.
Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies sceptical about a proposed deal.
The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity, despite Tehran's denials, and that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy humanitarian supplies from the United States.
China has urged the United States to avoid any official interaction with Taiwan, warning that such contacts send the “wrong signals” to supporters of Taiwan independence.
Russian social media company VK has accused Apple of removing its applications from the App Store without prior notice, prompting the Kremlin to demand an explanation from the U.S. technology giant.
EU climate ministers were joined by an unexpected guest at a council meeting in Luxembourg: a three-month-old baby, brought by Swedish climate minister Romina Pourmokhtari to highlight parental leave policies.
The British government has published draft legislation that would criminalise abusive practices intended to change or suppress a person's sexual orientation or gender identity in England and Wales.
The Kremlin has denied a Wall Street Journal report claiming Moscow is pressuring Belarus to support an expanded Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
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