Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Saturday met with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mostafa to discuss the latest developments in Palestinian territories and ways to implement the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan.
During the meeting, held on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Abdelatty stressed the importance of fully implementing the second phase of the plan.
He particularly called for the swift formation and deployment of an international stabilization force to monitor the ceasefire, ensure the regular flow of humanitarian aid, and oversee Israel’s withdrawal from the areas it controls within the Gaza Strip.
This would contribute to establishing stability and creating a conductive environment for early recovery and reconstruction, he said.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister reiterated Egypt’s support for the National Committee for the Administration of the Gaza Strip, headed by Ali Shaath, as a temporary transitional mechanism to manage Gaza’s daily affairs and meet the basic needs of the population during the transition.
This is intended to pave the way for the Palestinian Authority to assume its full responsibilities in the Gaza Strip, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2803, and in a manner that preserves the unity of the Palestinian territory.
Abdelatty rejected any attempts to separate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank or to undermine Gaza’s unity.
Importance of de-escalation
A telephone call also took place between Abdelatty and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
The two ministers stressed the priority of de-escalation and containing tensions in the region.
They further discussed developments in the Gaza Strip and emphasized the necessity of implementing the requirements for the second phase of Trump’s plan.
Both ministers discussed preparations for the upcoming Peace Board meeting in Washington and called to intensify efforts to reach a humanitarian truce as a prelude to a comprehensive ceasefire in Sudan.
Step in the right direction
The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, headed by Shaath, announced in a statement on Saturday that it views the statements and declarations issued from within the Gaza Strip regarding the readiness to hand over the administration of all public institutions and facilities as “a step in the interest of the citizens”.
It will pave the way for the committee to fully assume its responsibilities during the transitional phase, the statement said.
The committee added it is ready to begin exercising its duties as a transitional administration for the sector, which represents a “pivotal moment” to halt the deteriorating humanitarian situation and maintain the resilience of citizens who have suffered “grave pain”.
