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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