Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Josep Borrell, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, reiterated their rejection of any Israeli ground military operation in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza.
This came during a meeting held Sunday between Shoukry and the European official, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum being hosted by the Saudi capital Riyadh.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid stated that Minister Shoukry emphasized the importance of the European Union and other active international parties moving to pressure Israel to refrain from undertaking this military operation, and to halt any attempts to carry out scenarios of forced displacement of Gaza residents or the resolution of the Palestinian issue.
The spokesperson added that the meeting welcomed the signing of the political declaration between Egypt and the European Union to elevate relations between the two sides to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership on March 17th, as well as welcoming the continuous and high-level coordination on various international and regional issues and expressing the aspiration for the continuation of political dialogue between the two sides on various matters.
Regarding Gaza crisis, which dominated the majority of the meeting, both sides extensively discussed the developments of the security and humanitarian situations in the sector.
Shoukry and Borrell were keen on exchanging assessments and the results of their contacts with various regional and international parties to end the war in Gaza and put an end to the humanitarian catastrophe experienced by the sector’s residents.
Borrell was keen to get briefed from Shoukry on the progress of ongoing negotiations between Hamas and Israel to achieve an immediate ceasefire, exchange detainees and hostages, as well as enhance the access of humanitarian aid into the sector.
Shoukry emphasized Egypt’s reliance on the efforts of the EU High Representative to formulate a strong and unified European position calling for a ceasefire and pressuring Israel to remove obstacles hindering the access of aid into the sector and refrain from any unilateral actions not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank and Jerusalem, in addition to initiating a serious and effective political process for a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution. He stressing the importance of not separating efforts from achieving a ceasefire and working on implementing the two-state solution.
The EU High Representative emphasized the EU’s support for Egypt’s pivotal role in stopping the war in the Gaza Strip and containing its repercussions on various levels, expressing readiness to actively engage in any efforts aimed at ending this fierce war.
Both sides agreed to continue close consultations in the coming days to push towards ending the war in the Gaza Strip and launching a serious and effective political process for a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the borders of June 4, 1967.
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