In official statements, the Arab countries accused Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to distract public opinion and obstruct joint mediation efforts aimed at a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of hostages and detainees.

On Monday, Netanyahu claimed – without providing any evidence – that Hamas obtains weapons through the Egypt-Gaza border, criticising the security situation along the border.

In an attempt to justify Israel's illegal presence in the Philadelphi corridor, he alleged that the axis serves as “Hamas’s pipeline for oxygen and rearmament.”

In a statement, the Palestinian Presidency expressed its appreciation for the Egyptian pivotal role in rejecting the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land.

Palestine also stressed that the Palestinian-Egyptian borders are sovereign borders, rejecting the presence of any Israeli forces on the Philadelphi Corridor or the Rafah border crossing.

“We commend Egypt's constant efforts to achieve security and stability in the region,” read the statement.

Furthermore, Palestine expressed its appreciation for the Egyptian, Qatari and Jordanian efforts to reach a ceasefire, end the Israeli aggression in Gaza, and prevent the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

In addition, the Saudi foreign ministry said that these Israeli attempts aim to justify the continuous Israeli violations to international law.

The ministry further warned against such provoking statements and their negative repercussions, calling for an end to the Palestinian suffering.

It also urged for joint international efforts to enable the Palestinian people to establish an independent state based on June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Meanwhile, the Qatari foreign ministry affirmed that Israel’s approach, which is based on an attempt to falsify facts and mislead public opinion by repeating lies, will ultimately lead to demising peace efforts and expanding violence in the region.

Qatar also urged intensified regional and international efforts to “oblige Israel to immediately halt its brutal aggression on the Gaza Strip,” and address the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the strip.

In addition, the Jordanian foreign ministry expressed its steadfast support to Egypt, rejecting Netanyahu’s “baseless allegation” on the Philadelphi corridor.

It held the Israeli government accountable for such allegations.

Jordan further described the allegations made by Israeli officials as worthless attempts to justify the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza and the West Bank, which further escalate the already-tensioned situation in the region.

For its part, Egypt expressed earlier today its firm rejection of the Israeli PM’s statements as an attempt to deflect the Israeli public opinion and hinder the mediation efforts being carried out by Egypt, Qatar, and the US.

Egypt has reiterated more than once its rejection of any Israeli presence in the Philadelphi corridor on the Gaza-Egypt borders and the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing – which has been under Israeli control since May – as a constant of any ceasefire agreement.

Egypt, Qatar, and the US have been mediating indirect talks between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire in the 10-month-old Israeli war in Gaza.

Since 7 October, Israel has killed and injured over 130,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women, damaged most of Gaza’s infrastructure, and displaced the majority of the population.

Tensions have further escalated with renewed Israeli attacks in the occupied West Bank that began last week – mainly on the cities of Jenin, Nablus, Tubas, and Tulkarem – resulting in more casualties among Palestinians.