Cairo, Egypt – Egypt on Thursday said Israeli support for US President Donald Trump’s plan to displace Gazans “weakens and destroys the negotiations on a ceasefire agreement and incites a return to fighting”.
The statement from truce mediator Egypt’s foreign ministry referred to “statements issued today by a number of members of the Israeli government”, without naming them.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz had earlier on Thursday instructed the military to formulate a plan for Palestinians to leave Gaza, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the proposal “remarkable”.
Egypt said the plan “constitutes a blatant and flagrant violation of international law… and infringes on the most basic rights of the Palestinian people”.
Trump’s proposal last week for the United States to “take over” Gaza and move Palestinians out of the territory has been met with resounding rejection from Palestinians, Arab governments and world leaders.
The United Nations and legal experts have said the plan is illegal under international law.
“Any forcible transfer in or deportation of people from occupied territory is strictly prohibited,” said UN rights chief Volker Turk.
© Agence France-Presse
