CAIRO – Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Sept 6 rejected claims that Palestinians leaving northern Gaza do so voluntarily, calling the notion “nonsense” as Israel pushes its offensive in Gaza City.
Speaking alongside UN Palestinian refugee agency chief Philippe Lazzarini, Abdelatty said famine and war conditions were being used to force residents off their land. He stressed that framing such movement as voluntary ignored the reality on the ground.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended the idea of Palestinians “choosing” to leave, urging other countries to accept them. His office described it as a human right during wartime, a stance Cairo openly disputes.
Abdelatty added that he discussed ceasefire efforts with US envoy Steve Witkoff on Sept 5 and blamed Israel’s position for delays in implementing the latest truce plan. Hamas has already accepted an Egyptian-mediated proposal for a 60-day ceasefire, involving a halt to Israeli operations, hostage exchanges, and steps toward ending the nearly two-year conflict.
Netanyahu has maintained that any permanent arrangement must align with Israel’s conditions, vowing to continue seeking the hostages’ release while pursuing the war on his government’s terms.