Cairo- Egypt, 22 August 2025
In a strongly-worded statement, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on the international community to intervene urgently to halt what it describes as a new phase of Israeli military operations aimed at “seizing control of cities in the Gaza Strip.” The declaration, issued on Thursday, August 21st, condemns the Israeli government’s plan as a “fresh attempt to entrench illegal occupation of Palestinian territories” and a “blatant violation of international law.”
The statement comes as Israel has announced an expanded military operation in Gaza City, reportedly calling up tens of thousands of reservists to secure what the Israeli government has called the “last terrorist strongholds” and defeat Hamas. This move, which has been described by some officials as a path to a “total occupation,” has drawn international alarm and deep concern from Cairo. Egypt has warned that reliance on military force and a disregard for international law is a “grave miscalculation” that will only lead to further escalation.
Headline Points
* Egypt Condemns Israeli Plans:
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry has expressed “deep concern” over Israel’s military plan to seize control of urban areas in Gaza, viewing it as a continuation of its “illegal occupation” of Palestinian territories.
* A “Flagrant Violation”:
The ministry’s statement explicitly labels the Israeli military’s actions as a “blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law,” and an act that shows complete disregard for international mediation efforts and proposed ceasefire deals.
* Call for International Intervention:
Egypt has urged the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to take “decisive and immediate measures” to halt the ongoing military offensive and the “crimes being committed against innocent Palestinian civilians.”
* Warning of Displacement:
The statement also voiced alarm over Israel’s “systematic crimes” against civilians and its “continued planning to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land.”
* Rejection of the “Arrogance of Power”: The Egyptian government warned that Israel’s approach, driven by what it calls an “arrogance of power” and a “weakening of the international justice system,” will have long-term negative consequences for regional peace and security.
* A Broader Context of Conflict:
The statement was issued in the context of Israel’s new military push in Gaza, including ground assaults in Gaza City’s Zaytun neighborhood and the nearby town of Jabalia, and its recent approval of new settlements in the occupied West Bank. The UN has also raised alarms, with a rights official warning that the “systematic destruction of Gaza City is already underway.”
* Stakes of the Two-State Solution:
The declaration underscores the view held by Egypt and many in the international community that these actions are making the prospect of a viable, contiguous Palestinian state nearly impossible.
