World leaders gather for a group photo ahead of the Cairo Summit for Peace, 21 October 2023
CAIRO – 21 October 2023: World leaders gathered in the New Adminsitrative Capital on Saturday for the Cairo Summit for Peace to discuss the war in Gaza.
In his opening speech, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said that he invited the world leaders to the summit to "work together toward reaching a specific agreement on a roadmap, that aims to end the current humanitarian tragedy and revive the path of peace."
In conjunction, Many trucks loaded with humanitarian aid have entered the Gaza Strip from Egypt on Saturday morning after two weeks of Israeli strikes that flattened homes and left hundreds of thousands of Palestinians homeless.
Summary
Egypt Today is updating you on the leaders' remarks during the Cairo Summit for Peace:
14:48: President Sisi concluded the opening session of the Cairo Summit for Peace and thanks world leaders on delivering speeches.
He added that the summit will reconvene after 30 minutes.
14:44: UK's Foreign Minister James Cleverly extended condolences over the victims of both Israeli and Palestinian sides, urging concerting efforts to end the ongoing tragedy.
Cleverly asserted that Hamas has been obstructing peaceful solutions. He stressed the importance of releasing hostages taken by the group.
The British minister expressed support to Israel in defending itself and taking the required actions to free hostages within the framework of international law.
He affirmed that the two-state solution can be accomplished and that Palestinians and Israelis can coexist in peace.
14:37: Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said that the international community must not tolerate the terrible acts committed by Hamas.
She added that pacification is needed in Gaza or tensions will spread to other countries in the region.
Kamikawa urged the supply of food, medicines, electricity, and water to Gaza residents.
Japan has committed $10M in aid to Gaza, the Japanese foreign minister said, welcoming Egyptian efforts to ensure the delivery of aid.
14:31: Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide condemned the Hamas attack on civilians as well as the siege imposed by Israel on people in Gaza Strip.
He expressed gratitude for all parties that made possible the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza on Saturday.
Eide warned that the current Gaza crisis is a threat to all countries in the region, highlighting the importance of reaching an immediate solution and resumption of the peace process.
He affirmed that the absence of a long-term solution in the horizon worsens the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
14:25: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expressed solidarity with Israel saying it has the right to self-defense as long as its actions are aligned with international law.
She added that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian cause, describing Hamas attack on Israeli settlements on October 7 is an act of terrorism.
Germany has pledged €50M in aid to Gaza Strip, Baerbock said, expressing support to innocent men, women, and children.
She asserted that the fair and comprehensive solution is intertwined with the elimination of Hamas.
14:19: Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said that her country has pledged $10M in aid to Gaza Strip in addition to $50 million to UN organizations to deal with the crisis.
She demanded Hamas to release hostages, noting that Canadian citizens have to be freed.
She also accused Iran of using its proxies to destabilize the region.
14:14: France's Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna described Hamas attack on Israeli settlements as barbaric, highlighting that over 30 French citizens got killed while seven others are missing so they might have been taken hostage by Hamas.
She said Israel has the right to self-defense; nevertheless, its actions must comply with international law.
She added that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian Cause and that her country has pledged €10M in aid to civilians in Gaza Strip.
The French foreign minister also urged a humanitarian truce to allow the delivery of aid and the unconditional departure of foreign citizens stuck in Gaza
14:10: Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita stressed the importance of the delivery of aid to Gaza “in sufficient quantities” given that the current humanitarian conditions in the strip are unbearable.
He asserted his country’s support to the two-state solution as a sustainable solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
14:04: Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira said Israel, as an occupational state, is responsible for securing means of living, and hence, not allowing a shortage in food, medicines, and electricity.
He suggested continuing dialogue on the Gaza crisis until the problem is solved, asserting that the issue must be taken seriously at the level of the UN Security Council.
14:00: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan condemned Israeli targeting of hospitals and setting conditions to allow humanitarian aid in Gaza Strip.
He affirmed that Israel kills Palestinian civilians in Eastern Jerusalem and has been arresting hundreds of Palestinians.
13:55: Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal bin Farhan condemned the targeting of civilians without discrimination, calling for a fair and comprehensive peace and urging an immediate ceasefire.
13:49: Chairman of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki said the African Union has called for an immediate ceasefire since the very first moment of the conflict in order to make possible the delivery of humanitarian aid.
He called for the formation of an international front to push forward the peace process and the two-state solution in order to address the root causes of the conflict.
13:45: Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit underscored that civilians must not be categorized into superior and inferior, affirming that the rights of all must be preserved.
13:42: Oman's Deputy Prime Minister Shihab bin Tareq urged the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza Strip as well as electricity and fuel.
He also urged the implementation of provisions of UN resolutions pertaining to the Palestinian Cause, including the establishment of the Palestinian State on the 1967 borders.
13:34: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani said that a genocide is taking place in Gaza Strip as homes, hospitals and worship places have been targeted.
He mentioend the massacre of the Baptist Hospital that caused almost 600 deaths.
The Iraqi premier called for ending the crimes of the Israeli occupation, which risk triggering a regional conflict that can turn into an international one.
13:27: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for protecting children in Gaza Strip, expressing worries about Italian hostages held by Hamas.
13:22: Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis greeted the souls of civilians on both sides, highlighting that collective punishment is unacceptable.
He described Hamas as a terrorist organization that inflicts harm on both Israel and Palestinians, saying that Hamas does not represent Palestinians.
Also, Mitsotakis voiced rejection of attempts to displace Palestinians and welcomed opening routes for the delivery of aid to civilians in Gaza Strip.
He further stressed the importance of the two-state solution to ensure regional peace.
13:17: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza Strip must be guaranteed, adding that this requires a ceasefire to be implemented.
“On the other hand, Hamas has to release hostages unconditionally...We must exert efforts to end that conflict...We need the two-state solution," he added.
13:10: Chairman of Libyan Presidential Council Mohamed al-Menfi affirmed that the practices of the occupational state over the past two weeks constitute a violation of international law.
He condemned the repeated storming of Al Aqsa Mosque and attempts to displace Gaza residents to Sinai peninsula or other areas.
Menfi demanded protection of Palestinian civilians and the revival of the peace process, warning against the termination of the Palestinian Cause.
13:04: Crown Prince of Kuwait expresseي his country’s rejection to displacement calls for Palestinians and making neighboring countries pay the price, underlining that a Palestinian state must be established on the 1967 borders.
13:00: Mauritanian President underscored that Palestine must have its own state with Eastern Jerusalem as its capital as a sustainable solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
12:54: President of the European Council Charles Michel said that the right to access to humanitarian aid for marginalized segments must be guaranteed and that it is the responsibility of the international community.
12:50: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke about his visit to the Rafah border crossing on Friday, where he saw lorries plenty of aid on one side and hungry homeless people on the other side; however, access was not possible because aid entry was blocked.
Guterres asserted that such nightmare threatening the safety of children must be halted.
12:45: Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides stressed the necessity of joint solutions in Gaza, saying that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian Cause and that self-defense must be in compliance with international laws.
He stipulated that civilians must protected, hostages must be release, and war must be ended as it will expand to other areas in the region causing threat to international security.
The Cypriot President said he values the efforts deployed by Egypt to achieve de-escalation in Gaza and pave the way for the entry of aid.
12:40: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said we totally reject the deportation of Palestinians from Gaza.
He warned against attempts to displace Palestinian people from their lands to other countries, affimring that they will remain steadfast on their land.
12:35: South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa affirmed rejection of the killing of civilians, the siege imposed on Gaza, and the decision to forcibly displace the population of the strip.
Ramaphosa called for ceasing fire in Gaza and lifting the siege imposed on the enclave.
12:20: Jordan’s King Abdullah II condemned the ongoing Israeli bombing campaign underway in Gaza as an act of “collective punishment” and a “war crime.”
He added that all civilian lives matter, expressing outrage and grief about the acts of violence committed against those innocent civilians in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel.
“Attacking civilian infrastructure and deliberately starving an entire population [and prohibiting] them from food, water, electricity and basic necessities will be condemned. Accountability will be enforced immediately and unequivocally,” he stressed.
12:10: President Sisi gave the opening speech at the summit, reiterating condemnation of targeting all innocent civilians and the collective punishment imposed on around 2.5 million citizens in Gaza.
He also voiced rejection of attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians toward Egypt, affirming that this will mean a liquidation of the Palestinian cause.
“I clearly affirm to the world the will and determination of every individual of the Egyptian people that liquidating the Palestinian issue without a just solution will not happen, and in any case, it will never happen at Egypt’s expense,” Sisi stressed.
10:45: Sisi arrives in the New Administrative Capital to attend the Cairo Peace Summit scheduled for Saturday.
10:00: The Rafah border crossing opened, allowing 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid to the war-hit strip.
This comes a few days after Sisi and US President Joe Biden agreed on sustainable delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip through the crossing.
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