Egypt Pushing to Break Impasse over Gaza Aid, Calls Bombardment ‘Collective Punishment’

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo, Sunday Oct. 15, 2023. (Reuters)

16:03-15 October 2023 AD ـ 01 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1445 AH

Egypt Pushing to Break Impasse over Gaza Aid, Calls Bombardment ‘Collective Punishment’

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo, Sunday Oct. 15, 2023. (Reuters)

Egypt said on Sunday it had stepped up diplomatic efforts to get humanitarian aid into Gaza and its president told visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel's bombardment of the territory was disproportional.

"The reaction went beyond the right to self-defense, turning into collective punishment for 2.3 million people in Gaza," President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said of Israel's retaliatory strikes for Hamas militants' attacks a week ago.

Aid from several countries has been building up in Egypt's Sinai peninsula due to a failure to reach a deal enabling its safe delivery to Gaza along with evacuations of some foreign passport holders through the Rafah crossing into Egypt.

Israeli bombardments on the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing into Egypt, the main crossing out of Gaza not controlled by Israel, have disrupted operations there.

There is alarm in Egypt over the prospect that residents in Gaza could be displaced by Israel's siege and bombardment.

Like other Arab states, it has said Palestinians should stay on their lands and that it is working to secure delivery of aid.

A statement from Sisi's office, issued after a meeting of the national security council, said Egypt rejected any plan to displace Palestinians "to the detriment of other countries" and that Egypt's own security was a red line.

Sisi also proposed a summit to discuss the crisis, according to the statement.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told CNN on Saturday that the Rafah crossing was open but the roads leading to it in Gaza were "inoperable" due to Israeli bombardment. He said that if foreign nationals were able to cross the border Egypt would facilitate their departure to their home countries.

The United States has been part of the diplomatic push to facilitate aid and evacuations through Rafah and told its citizens in Gaza on Saturday they could move closer to the crossing in case it opened.

Eight planes laden with aid from Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Tunisia, and the World Health Organization have landed in Sinai's Al Arish airport in recent days and a convoy of more than 100 trucks is waiting in the city awaiting permission to enter Gaza, according to the Egyptian Red Crescent.

Arab World

Lebanon Ready for Indirect Negotiations with Israel to End the War

Mourners waving the flags of Hezbollah and Amal movement attend the funeral of Lebanese civil defence members, killed in an Israeli strike, in the southern Lebanese village of Borj Qalauay on September 9, 2024. (Photo by Mahmoud ZAYYAT / AFP)

Beirut: Asharq Al Awsat

08:51-10 September 2024 AD ـ 07 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1446 AH

Beirut: Asharq Al Awsat

08:51-10 September 2024 AD ـ 07 Rabi’ Al-Awwal 1446 AH

Lebanon Ready for Indirect Negotiations with Israel to End the War

The Lebanese government has said it was ready to engage in indirect negotiations with Israel to establish a ceasefire and bring an end to the conflict between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in South Lebanon. This comes amid intensifying exchanges of fire and Israel’s threats to escalate the war.

During a meeting with ambassadors and representatives from United Nations Security Council member states, Prime Minister Najib Mikati emphasized the need for the Security Council to take “more decisive and effective measures” in addressing Israeli violations and attacks on the Lebanese population.

He stressed that the Security Council’s response must be “swift and robust, aiming to protect innocent lives and civil defense personnel working tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of the people.”

Mikati also condemned “Israel’s continued targeting of Lebanese civilians, a clear violation of international law and a threat to the safety and security of the country’s population.”

He expressed gratitude to Security Council members for their support in renewing UNIFIL’s mandate and their commitment to maintaining stability in Lebanon.

Following the meeting, Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib noted that the ambassadors affirmed their support for the protection of civilians and international laws, including the Geneva Conventions, which safeguard individuals during conflicts.

He said: “Most ambassadors indirectly condemned these attacks and emphasized their opposition to targeting civilians. We agreed to avoid the term ‘de-escalation’ and instead focus on halting the attacks.”

“As a government, we seek a ceasefire and an end to the war. We have informed the relevant parties of our willingness to engage in indirect negotiations with Israel to achieve this,” Bou Habib added.

He mentioned that the prime minister has instructed Lebanon’s UN mission to consult with Security Council members about convening a session on Lebanon, particularly regarding the targeting of the population. He also highlighted “strong support for Lebanon from all sides, which is preventing a full-scale war in the South.”

“Israel is refusing negotiations, and Hezbollah may also oppose them, but Hezbollah is not a state. It is the Lebanese state that decides. If a viable resolution is proposed, we will accept it as a government and work to convince Hezbollah to agree. This is the responsibility of the Lebanese state, as Hezbollah is not a member of the United Nations—Lebanon is,” Bou Habib remarked.

In response to a question, the foreign minister stressed that any ceasefire resolution would be a new one, not an amendment to Resolution 1701.

Israeli Threats

Lebanon’s call for negotiations comes amid growing threats from Israel. Former Israeli war cabinet member and leader of the National Unity Party, Benny Gantz, said Israel should consider launching a war against Lebanon if no ceasefire agreement or prisoner exchange with Hamas is reached soon.

Speaking at the Middle East American Dialogue (MEAD) conference in Washington, Gantz stated: “It’s time to focus on the North. We are behind schedule, and I believe we must strike a deal to bring back the hostages, even if it comes at a painful cost. However, if no agreement is reached in the coming days or weeks, we should escalate the war in the North and ensure the safe return of our citizens to their homes.”

He added: “We can achieve this, even if it requires targeting the state of Lebanon itself. I see no other way forward.”

Military Developments

On the ground, the Israeli army announced that its warplanes and helicopters targeted Hezbollah military facilities and launch sites in Kfar Kila, Taybeh, Hanin, and Yaroun on Sunday night.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported that an Israeli airstrike on Hanin injured four people, who were taken to the hospital for treatment.

In response, Hezbollah claimed to have launched drones targeting the headquarters of the Israeli Golani Brigade and the 621st Egoz Unit at the Shraga barracks near Acre. The group also reported attacking the Jall Al-Alam site with drones, stating they directly hit their targets.

Israeli media reported that Hezbollah’s drone strike caused damage to a residential apartment on the 14th floor of a new building in north Nahariya.

Egypt Pushing to Break Impasse over Gaza Aid, Calls Bombardment ‘Collective Punishment’

Egypt Pushing to Break Impasse over Gaza Aid, Calls Bombardment ‘Collective Punishment’

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Lebanon Ready for Indirect Negotiations with Israel to End the War

Lebanon Ready for Indirect Negotiations with Israel to End the War

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