Cairo: Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty has dismissed recent Israeli claims concerning the Rafah crossing as ‘nonsense, a distortion of facts, and falsehoods,’ accusing Israel of committing daily violations in the Gaza Strip. Speaking on a television programme, Abdelatty underscored Egypt’s unwavering commitment to a ceasefire agreement reached last October, despite ongoing Israeli infractions.
According to State Information Service Egypt, Abdelatty firmly rejected Israeli assertions that the Rafah crossing remains closed on the Egyptian side, labeling them as ‘a blatant lie.’ The minister clarified that the crossing operates continuously from Egypt, asserting that the obstruction is entirely on the Israeli side. He emphasized the necessity of opening the crossing on the Palestinian side and removing Israeli-imposed obstacles, aligning with the agreement that mandates bi-directional operation.
Abdelatty elaborated that the full operation of the crossing is crucial for enabling Palestinian patients to travel abroad for medical treatment and ensuring their safe return to Gaza. The top diplomat stressed that the involvement of US leadership, particularly President Donald Trump, is ‘the primary guarantee’ for the agreement’s implementation and advancement to the second phase.
The discussion of the crossing was a focal point in Abdelatty’s recent conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He highlighted the significance of the second phase, which entails Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, the deployment of an international force to monitor the ceasefire, the commencement of Gaza’s reconstruction, and the formation of a Palestinian administrative committee for territorial management. Additionally, this phase includes deploying Palestinian police to uphold public order and enforce the rule of law.
Reiterating President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s stance, Abdelatty declared that the Rafah crossing ‘cannot be a gateway for forced displacement’ and assured that Egypt ‘will not participate in any injustice against the Palestinian people.’ He also mentioned Egypt’s efforts to dismantle Israeli barriers to the entry of humanitarian and medical aid into Gaza, emphasizing that aid must correspond to the population’s needs, particularly after extended periods of famine due to Israeli restrictions.
In a statement at the Doha Forum 2025, Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s position that the Rafah crossing must not be utilized for the forced displacement of Palestinians. He described any Israeli proposal to open Rafah solely for exits into Egypt as a unilateral action that disrupts Gaza’s demographic balance and violates the ceasefire agreement.