Egypt tells US: Israel’s reaction in Gaza amounts to collective punishment

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi yesterday told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel’s response in Gaza is a form of collective punishment, local media reported according to Anadolu news agency.

According to Egypt’s Cairo News Channel, Blinken was in Egypt to reaffirm Washington’s support for Tel Aviv in its ongoing onslaught on Palestinian civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip

During the meeting, Al-Sisi said: “The Israeli response has gone beyond the principle of self-defence to collective punishment against Gaza, which is home to over 2.3 million Palestinians.”

He stressed that “the absence of a solution to the Palestinian issue has led to an exacerbation of anger”, adding that “delaying the resolution of the Palestinian issue results in more victims.”

Egypt has been working to contain the situation in Gaza and prevent other parties from entering the conflict, he added.

He pointed out that the last five rounds of fighting between the Gaza Strip and Israel, from 2005 to 2023, resulted in the deaths of 12,500 Palestinians, 2,500 of them children, and 2,700 Israelis, 150 of them were children, in addition to the injury of 100,000 Palestinians and 12,000 Israelis.

The Egyptian president reiterated the need to take action to reduce tension and facilitate the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip which has no water, electricity, or fuel.

Blinken is currently visiting Egypt as part of a regional tour which began Thursday in Israel before leaving for Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Blinken is due to return to Tel Aviv today.

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