‘Middle East on verge of explosion’

“Israel is waging a brutal war against civilians in Gaza,” Abdelatty said. “The credibility of the international system is eroded by repeated violations of international law. The Middle East is on the verge of an explosion. We look at the reality in the region with concern and responsibility.”

Abdelatty thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for his push to advance a plan to end the war. “We are grateful for his commitment to work with regional leaders to stop this unjust war in Gaza. We welcome his vision to restore stability, end the fighting, and secure the release of hostages and prisoners,” he said.

He demanded an end to hunger in Gaza and rejected “any scenario of uprooting the Palestinian people.” Egypt, he stressed, “has not and will not be the gateway to ending the Palestinian cause,” warning against what he called “a new Nakba.”

“Israel’s aggression has reached country after country in the region and recently extended to Qatar. The occupation and denial of Palestinian rights empties any talk of security and peace of meaning,” Abdelatty said. “Israel cannot enjoy security while others live without it. The region will not have stability without a Palestinian state.”

The minister added a direct warning: “We caution against Israel’s reckless policies, which close the door to the hopes of the region’s peoples for peaceful coexistence. Our hand remains extended for peace, and President al-Sisi confirms that peace is our strategic choice.”

Abdelatty also addressed other regional crises, urging an end to the war in Yemen “in accordance with international standards” and stressing the need to secure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. He noted that Egypt has lost more than $9 billion in Suez Canal revenue due to disruptions in the waterway. He condemned “Israel’s repeated violations in Lebanon and Syria,” warning: “Either the Middle East moves toward rationality, or it plunges into chaos. Some think they can control it by force.”

Meanwhile, Arab media have reported that Egypt is preparing for the possibility of mass displacement from Gaza toward its border. The Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah, quoted an Egyptian military official as saying commanders were instructed not to fire on Palestinians approaching the border but to act according to humanitarian standards. Similar reports in Qatari daily Al-Araby Al-Jadeed cited sources saying Egyptian forces along the Gaza-Israel border are on full alert, fearing possible waves of displacement into Sinai.