File Photo: The flag of Egypt sways in the wind on the Egyptian side of the Rafah Border Crossing with the Gaza Strip. AFP
State Information Service (SIS) Head Diaa Rashwan said this during an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic on Wednesday, emphasizing that Egypt’s stance has never changed but remained consistent since 7 October.
Rashwan explained that from the start of the war, Egypt set two clear red lines guiding its policy: first, the absolute rejection of any action that could lead to liquidating the Palestinian cause through the forced displacement of Palestinians outside Gaza; second, the rejection of any threat to Egypt’s national security.
He noted that Egypt has kept the Rafah crossing open from its side since the beginning, facilitating the return of Palestinians stranded in Egypt. Hundreds of thousands crossed in both directions before Israel unilaterally decided to close its side of the crossing.
Responding to claims by Israeli officials broadcast on their Channel 12, suggesting that Israel might open the crossing from its side and that “if Egypt refuses to receive Palestinians, that is Egypt’s responsibility,” Rashwan said Egypt has repeatedly opposed attempts to shift political and humanitarian burdens onto Cairo, whether through diplomatic messaging, military statements, or media narratives.
He stressed that Cairo responds only to official positions from Israel’s political leadership, not to statements from military sources or individual spokespeople, and that any formal discussions must follow existing legal and political frameworks.
Rashwan referenced documented international agreements, including provisions in US President Donald Trump’s plan, which stipulate that the crossing must operate from both sides and that Gaza residents cannot be expelled without preserving their right to return.
He underlined that Egypt’s approach is guided by international law and established commitments, not by political pressure or manipulation.
When asked whether Egypt would allow Palestinians to enter if Israel opened the crossing unilaterally, Rashwan said the country evaluates each situation based on its sovereign decisions and humanitarian responsibilities.
He noted that more than 105,000 Palestinians have entered Egypt during the conflict, including the wounded, medical evacuees, and exceptional humanitarian cases, many of whom remain under treatment or temporarily residing in the country.
He added that nearly all recently freed Palestinian prisoners are now in Egypt.
Rashwan clarified that these cases do not, and will never, represent participation in any form of population transfer. Egypt opens Rafah out of sovereignty and humanitarian duty, not as part of arrangements that undermine Palestinian rights or alter Gaza’s demographics.
He dismissed foreign media claims suggesting that Egypt coordinated the removal of Palestinians from Gaza, emphasizing that Egypt has never facilitated the departure of Gaza’s population.
“If such coordination existed, Egypt’s consistent public rejection of forced displacement since the first days of the conflict would have been neither credible nor sustainable,” he said.
Rashwan explained that logistical arrangements, such as ambulance entry, organized transport, or private companies assisting specific cases, are strictly humanitarian measures to manage medical evacuations, not political tools for relocation.
He concluded by stating that Egypt will not accept any unilateral action that turns Rafah into a one-way exit or makes Egyptian territory an alternative location for Gaza’s population. Egypt remains committed to facilitating humanitarian access without enabling the emptying or forced displacement of Gaza residents.
Cairo will only accept arrangements that respect Egypt’s national principles, the rights of the Palestinian people, and international law.
Earlier, Egypt’s SIS cited a senior Egyptian official refuting an Israeli media report claiming that Cairo had agreed to reopen Rafah in the coming days to facilitate the departure of Palestinians from Gaza.
The official stressed that any reopening must allow two-way movement, in line with provisions from Trump’s plan, which forbids removing Gaza residents without guaranteeing their right to return.
The statement followed a Reuters report quoting Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which said Rafah is expected to reopen “within days” only to allow Palestinians to exit to Egypt, without permitting return travel, a scenario that would not restore full two-way traffic.
Reuters added that the arrangement is reportedly being facilitated in coordination with Egypt and monitored by European Union teams preparing for possible redeployment under the current ceasefire framework.
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