Arab Leaders at Cairo Summit Unanimously Oppose Forced Displacement of Palestinians

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has condemned the forced displacement of Palestinians into the Sinai peninsula. He made these remarks during the Cairo-hosted "Summit for Peace," where he advocated for an independent state for Palestinians as the only solution. As the summit commenced, 20 trucks carrying aid crossed the Rafah border into Gaza, yet humanitarian organizations have warned that this aid will not sufficiently address the needs of the territory. Prior to the conflict, around 500 trucks daily were entering Gaza, while 1.2 million people already relied on food aid. The United Nations will oversee the distribution of aid, prioritizing UN schools housing thousands and hospitals. Israel's military, however, stated that the aid was solely intended for southern Gaza. Furthermore, it reiterated its call for residents in the northern Gaza Strip to vacate their homes and move towards the border with Egypt. Israel has expressed its intention to eradicate Hamas entirely. Nevertheless, President Sisi affirmed that Egypt would not permit Palestinians to be displaced across the Rafah crossing into Egypt, reiterating his commitment to their cause. The summit, aimed at preventing the escalation of the conflict, did not feature top US officials and saw the absence of many European leaders. Additional statements of support for President Sisi's position were made by Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister and Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestinian Authority. King Abdullah of Jordan criticized the global silence surrounding Israel's attacks on Gaza, asserting that Palestinian lives were being devalued. UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly urged Israeli compliance with international law and emphasized the need to preserve civilian lives in Gaza. He also stressed the necessity for the international community to prevent the situation in Gaza from leading to a regional conflict. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a "humanitarian ceasefire" during the summit, emphasizing the urgent need for continuous aid delivery to Gaza at the required scale. The conflict began when Israel conducted retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza following an attack by Hamas's military wing, resulting in substantial casualties. Israel claims that over 300 soldiers were also killed and that Hamas took over 200 hostages into Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reported over 4,300 deaths from Israeli air strikes, with the majority being women and children.