Egypt has never discussed any plans with the Israeli side of a ground invasion to Rafah city, head of the State Information Service [SIS] Diaa Rashwan confirmed, Tuesday, denying what was mentioned in report published in one of the U.S. newspapers on this matter.

He stressed Egypt’s ‘firm and well-known’ stance of its complete rejection of any plans for a ground invasion to Rafah, ‘which will lead to massacres, heavy human losses, and widespread destruction’.

This, on the top of “what the brotherly Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip has been suffering from during the past 200 days of Israel’s bloody aggression”, Rashwan said.

Egypt’s repeated warnings had reached the Israeli side – from all channels – according to Rashwan. He noted that Egypt’s warning and rejection was announced from the very first moment the idea was proposed by the Israeli side, due to the expected huge losses, and the extremely negative repercussions that would follow on the stability of the entire region.

Rashwan added that while Israel is ‘contemplating this invasion’, Egypt and the whole international community stands entirely against it.

He said that Egypt has been continuing its efforts since the beginning of the Israeli aggression agienst Gaza and have been focused on reaching a ceasefire and prisoners’ swap agreement.

Egypt also has been seeking the passage of sufficient humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza and to receive any wounded or sick people out from the strip for treatment, as almost all health services have collapsed inside Gaza Strip.

On Monday, Egypt has strongly denied all ‘false allegations’ that was circulated lately by several Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding any smuggling operations of weapons, explosives, or ammunition, into the Gaza Strip from Egyptian territory.

Rashwan said in a statement that all of these are false allegations, including the claims about any tunnels between both sides of the border.

He emanded the Israeli side to show its respect for “the peace treaty” and stop making statements that would strain bilateral relations in light of the current inflammatory conditions.

Egypt also called on ‘anyone who talk about its inability to protect its borders to stop making these allegations’, in light of the fact that Egypt has a strong army, fully capable of protecting its borders with all efficiency and discipline.

The statement also stressed that Egypt will continue its ‘positive and key role’ in order to solve all of the region’s problems, “and that none of these false allegations will succeed in dissuading Egypt from carrying out its internal, regional and international responsibilities.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Egypt Today