Photo: Official page of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Speaking on Sunday in an interview on the television programme Sabahak Masri, Abdelatty said Egypt remains firmly committed to maintaining the ceasefire reached last October, despite the "continued Israeli violations."
He added that Cairo is in sustained communication with the United States to ensure the agreement is implemented.
Abdelatty rejected Israeli claims that the Rafah crossing is closed on the Egyptian side, calling them “a blatant lie.” He said the crossing operates around the clock from Egypt, stressing that the obstruction is on the Israeli side.
He emphasised the need to open the crossing on the Palestinian side and remove all Israeli-imposed obstacles, in line with the agreement that stipulates the crossing should operate in both directions.
He explained that full operation of the crossing would allow Palestinian patients, within agreed limits, to travel abroad for medical treatment while ensuring their return to Gaza.
Egypt’s top diplomat stressed that direct US involvement, particularly by President Donald Trump, is “the primary guarantee” for implementing the agreement and moving to the second phase.
He noted that this issue was a main focus of his recent phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Abdelatty highlighted the importance of the second phase, which includes Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, deployment of an international force to monitor the ceasefire, the start of Gaza’s reconstruction, and the establishment of a Palestinian administrative committee to manage the territory.
He added that the second phase also involves deploying Palestinian police to maintain public order and enforce the rule of law.
Reiterating President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s position, Abdelatty said the Rafah crossing “cannot be a gateway for forced displacement” and stressed that Egypt “will not participate in any injustice against the Palestinian people.”
He also said Egypt is pushing to remove all Israeli obstacles to the entry of humanitarian and medical aid into Gaza, stressing that assistance must match the population’s needs, especially after prolonged periods of famine caused by Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries.
In a recent statement at the Doha Forum 2025, Abdelatty reaffirmed that the Rafah crossing must not, and will not, be used for the forced displacement of Palestinians.
He described any Israeli suggestion of opening Rafah solely for exits into Egypt as a unilateral move that alters Gaza’s demographic reality and violates the ceasefire agreement.
Short link: