RAFAH/CAIRO: Egypt said on Monday it is ready to join a potential international force deployed to Gaza, provided it is backed by a UN Security Council resolution and accompanied by a “political horizon,” as ceasefire efforts continue in Cairo.
“We are standing ready of course to help, to contribute to any international force to be deployed in Gaza in some specific parameters,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said at a joint press conference with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa at the Rafah border crossing.
“First of all, to have a Security Council resolution, to have a clear-cut mandate, and of course to come within a political horizon. Without a political horizon, it will be nonsense to deploy any forces there.”
Abdelatty said a political framework would allow international troops to operate more effectively and support Palestinians “to realize their own independent Palestinian state in their homeland.”
Mustafa said a temporary committee would manage the territory after the war, with full authority remaining with the Palestinian government. “We’re not creating a new political entity in Gaza. Rather, we are reactivating the institutions in the State of Palestine and its government in Gaza,” he said.
Hamas has previously welcomed the idea of a temporary committee to “oversee relief efforts, reconstruction and governance,” though it remains unclear whether the group is willing to relinquish control of the territory.
Meanwhile, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met in Cairo with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss the situation in Gaza and the broader Palestinian issue.
Both leaders emphasized the urgency of achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, ensuring the rapid and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, and securing the release of hostages and captives, while rejecting any military reoccupation or displacement of Palestinians.
Sisi and Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed that establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international resolutions, is essential for lasting peace and stability.
They also stressed the need to begin reconstruction in Gaza immediately after a ceasefire and to prepare for an international reconstruction conference in coordination with the Palestinian government and the United Nations.
The two sides highlighted the importance of continuing joint diplomatic efforts to support Palestinian sovereignty, protect Palestinian civilians, and advance political solutions for a sustainable peace.
