Egypt Foreign Minister Seeks ‘Sustainable Ceasefire’ in Gaza, Calls for Immediate End to ‘Provocative Actions’

By Akiko Inoue / Japan News Staff Writer

19:25 JST, August 25, 2024

Egyptian Foreign Affairs Minister Badr Abdelatty called on Sunday for a “sustainable and enduring ceasefire” in Gaza to de-escalate the tension and avoid wider war in the region, as well as allow humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza.

During the now 10-month-long war between Israel and Hamas, the death toll has risen to over 40,000 in Gaza, while more than 100 Israeli hostages are still being held in the enclave. The United States and Qatar, along with Egypt, are continuing their diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire.

Egypt also maintains regular contact with Iran and Lebanon, Abdelatty said in an interview with Japanese media. He described the conversation he had with the Iranian foreign minister hours before the interview, saying that he asked for “de-escalation and … not to respond to any provocation, and to keep the stability.” He visited Japan for the Tokyo International Conference on African Development ministerial meeting that was held over the weekend.

“It’s time now to have an immediate ceasefire in order to allow the accessibility of humanitarian aid and to stop attacks,” Abdelatty said. “There is no justification for any side, for any party, to postpone having a ceasefire.”

To secure an agreement, the foreign minister stressed the need for “political will, seriousness and … more pressure from the international community.”

“[To] de-escalate and not to drag the region into a full-fledged regional war” is one of the main objectives of the talks, Abdelatty said. He warned that if the negotiations end with no agreement, it will “increase the possibilities of escalation in the region.”

Regarding the long-term prospects for Gaza, Abdelatty stressed the need for implementation of a two-state solution, saying that “we are not anymore interested in just keep repeating the slogan.”

“We must have a time frame and the road map for the establishment of the Palestinian state … [and] to ensure the unity of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank,” he said.

Amid the ongoing diplomatic efforts, Israel has conducted airstrikes on Gaza and Lebanon. Abdelatty criticized these acts as “absolutely” unhelpful for achieving an agreement. “We condemn all unilateral provocative actions, … [they] should be stopped as soon as possible,” he said.

Abdelatty hoped that Japan would be “more active and apply pressure.”

Regarding the bilateral relationship between Japan and Egypt, Abdelatty called for more investment from Japanese companies in Egypt in areas such as renewable energy, agriculture and logistics. He also said the relationship between the two nations should be a “real partnership based on investment and win-win situation,” rather than a “donor-recipient” relationship.