Egypt, Malaysia warn of disastrous consequences of further military action in Gaza

CAIRO – 22 February 2024: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emphasized the gravity of further military action in Gaza during a phone call on Thursday.

El-Sisi and Ibrahim cautioned against the catastrophic humanitarian repercussions of further military operations in the strip as they discussed Egypt’s efforts to achieve a ceasefire and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.

They urged the international community to fulfill its legal, humanitarian, and political responsibilities by pushing for an immediate ceasefire and the implementation of the two state-solution.

Such measures would help prevent further tensions and conflict spillover in the region, they affirmed.

Ibrahim commended Egypt’s pivotal role in leading and managing the aid delivery process despite substantial obstacles and challenges.

Ibrahim underlined Malaysia’s support for Egypt’s efforts to halt the war, end the bloodshed of Palestinian people, and establish peace in the region.

El-Sisi praised Malaysia’s contribution to the relief aid destined for Gaza.

Egypt is spearheading humanitarian efforts to deliver tens of thousands of tons of aid from Egyptian and international organizations, as well as various countries worldwide.

In mid-February, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli said that Egypt had contributed with 100,000 tons of aid bound for Gaza out of a total of 130,000 tons since the start of the crisis.

Egypt is delivering aid to people in Gaza despite restrictions imposed by Israel, including slow inspection procedures and repeated bombardments of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Sinai and the strip, according to several Egyptian officials.

In addition to providing aid, Egypt plays a crucial role in the ongoing ceasefire talks involving the United States, Qatar, and Israel, aiming to halt Israeli attacks in the strip since October 7 and facilitate the release of captives held by Hamas in Gaza.

Moreover, a high-level delegation from Hamas, led by the head of the movement’s political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, held talks with Egyptian officials on the Gaza war earlier this week.

Haniyeh’s visit to the Egyptian capital followed talks in Cairo between top negotiators from Egypt, Qatar, Israel, and the United States, aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement, but with no breakthrough in the negotiations.