Egypt denies claims of plans to relocate 500,000 Palestinians to North Sinai

Egypt on Friday “categorically” denied Israeli media reports alleging that Cairo is preparing to temporarily relocate 500,000 Palestinians to a designated city in North Sinai as part of a plan to rebuild Gaza, Anadolu Agency reports.

“Egypt categorically and completely denies the claims circulated by some media outlets that it is prepared to temporarily relocate 500,000 Gaza residents to a designated city in North Sinai as part of Gaza’s reconstruction,” said Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS) in a statement.

The agency described the allegations as “false and entirely inconsistent with Egypt’s firm and principled position,” which has been clear since the early days of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023.

Cairo reiterated its “absolute and final rejection of any attempt to displace Palestinian brothers—whether forcibly or voluntarily—to any location outside Gaza, particularly to Egypt.”

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It further stressed that any such displacement would amount to “the liquidation of the Palestinian cause and a grave threat to Egypt’s national security.”

The SIS also pointed to Egypt’s recent diplomatic efforts, noting that Cairo’s reconstruction plan—presented at the recent Arab Summit in Cairo on March 4—was based on ensuring that “not a single Palestinian leaves Gaza.”

The plan, the statement noted, was approved unanimously by summit participants.

The denial comes in response to Israeli media reports in recent hours suggesting that Egypt was preparing to move 500,000 Gazans to a city in North Sinai.

More than 700 Palestinians have been killed and over 900 injured in a surprise aerial campaign by Israel on Gaza since Tuesday, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.

Nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 112,000 injured in a brutal Israeli military onslaught on Gaza since October 2023.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

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