Egypt: Division of Gaza Strip a red line, no stability for Israel without a Palestinian state

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty said on Friday that attempts to divide the Gaza Strip are a "red line that cannot be accepted," accusing Israel of obstructing the travel of Palestinians through the Rafah crossing and hindering the entry of humanitarian aid. Abdel Aty added, in a press conference following a meeting of the ministerial committee of the Arab-Islamic Contact Group in Slovenia, that this Egyptian position is firm regarding the unity of the Strip.

The Egyptian minister pointed out that the situation in Gaza remains very fragile despite some slight progress, and criticized the limited opening from the Palestinian side at the Rafah border crossing, stressing that Israel places obstacles to the movement of Palestinians from both sides and hinders the arrival of essential relief supplies to the besieged Strip.

Regarding the West Bank, Abdel Aty affirmed that the situation is deteriorating with Israel's continued policy of repression, intimidation of civilians, and seizure of land by force, emphasizing that the absence of a political horizon exacerbates the crisis on the ground.

Regarding the de-escalation path, Abdel Aty explained: "We are working to consolidate the ceasefire in Gaza, and we are consulting with our partners in the Middle East, the European Union, and the United States regarding an agreement to move forward," without delving into additional details about the terms of these consultations.

Abdel Aty stressed the importance of intensifying the entry of humanitarian aid, describing the situation on the ground in Gaza as "tragic," and pointing out that stability for Israel in the region cannot be achieved without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Last mid-January, the United States announced the entry into force of the second phase of US President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, despite Israel's request to postpone it. However, Tel Aviv continues to tighten procedures through the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing and continues its military operations.

On regional affairs, Abdel Aty said that Egypt is working intensively to prevent the outbreak of a comprehensive war and encourage diplomatic solutions to stop the escalation. This coincided with the Omani capital, Muscat, hosting negotiations between the United States and Iran today, Friday, resuming a path that was disrupted in June 2025 after raids targeted Iranian facilities.

Attempts to divide the Gaza Strip are a red line that cannot be accepted, and there is no stability for Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state.