ISTANBUL

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Friday reiterated his country’s strong opposition to any attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land during his talks with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof.

The two leaders spoke by phone about bilateral relations and the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip, according to the Egyptian presidency.

Sisi emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation between Egypt and the Netherlands.

Sisi also highlighted Egypt’s ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza and ensure the urgent and sufficient delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave, according to the presidency’s statement. He stressed the need for progress in negotiations to release prisoners on both sides.

Israel currently claims that 50 of its hostages remain in Gaza, including 20 who are still alive. Meanwhile, over 10,800 Palestinians are imprisoned in Israeli jails under conditions widely condemned by rights groups as involving torture, starvation, and medical neglect, practices that have led to numerous deaths.

Negotiations between Israel and Hamas mediated by Qatar and Egypt and backed by the US recently collapsed in Doha after Israel hardened its position on issues including full military withdrawal from Gaza, ending the war, prisoner exchange terms, and aid distribution mechanisms.

While Hamas has signaled readiness to release all Israeli hostages in a single exchange, conditional on a permanent ceasefire and Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has continued to impose new demands.

In his call with Schoof, Sisi also reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to restarting the political process based on a two-state solution.

He further stressed the urgency of launching Gaza’s reconstruction as soon as a ceasefire is achieved.

“Egypt remains firmly opposed to any plans to forcibly displace Palestinians,” the presidency said, reaffirming Cairo’s longstanding position.

In March, Egypt proposed a five-year, $53 billion reconstruction plan for Gaza, adopted at an emergency Arab League summit.

The plan explicitly ruled out any displacement of Palestinians. However, both Israel and the US have rejected the initiative and instead backed an alternative plan promoted by US President Donald Trump that would relocate Palestinians to neighboring countries like Egypt and Jordan.

Both nations have rejected such proposals, alongside other Arab states and international organizations.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 60,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.