Egypt condemns Israeli attacks as “genocide,” rejects Gaza evacuations as red line Displacement is not an option

Egypt has issued a stern warning against the mass displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, describing such actions as a “red line” and condemning what it terms a genocide unfolding in the enclave.

The remarks come amid intensifying criticism of Israel’s ongoing military offensive, as thousands of Gaza City residents defy Israeli evacuation orders, Arab News reports.

“Displacement is not an option and it is a red line for Egypt, and we will not allow it to happen,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty declared during a press briefing in Nicosia. He stressed the gravity of forced displacement, stating, “Displacement means liquidation and the end of the Palestinian cause and there is no legal or moral or ethical ground to evict people from their homeland.”

Abdelatty’s comments reflect a hardening Egyptian stance toward Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which borders Egypt, despite Cairo’s continued diplomatic efforts alongside Qatar and the United States to broker a ceasefire in the nearly two-year-long conflict.

“What is happening on the ground is far beyond the imagination. There is a genocide in motion there, mass killing of civilians, artificial starvation created by the Israelis,” Abdelatty added, reiterating accusations previously leveled by Egyptian officials.

Israel has yet to respond to requests for comment on the latest statements. The Israeli government has consistently denied allegations of genocide, defending its actions as necessary self-defense measures. The country is currently engaged in a legal battle at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, which accuses Israel of genocide—a claim Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denounced as “outrageous.”

The conflict escalated dramatically in October 2023 when Hamas militants launched a deadly attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and capturing 250 hostages. Since then, Gaza’s densely populated enclave has faced relentless Israeli assaults, with Gaza health authorities reporting over 64,000 Palestinian deaths and widespread devastation.

On August 10, Israel launched a major offensive in Gaza City to eliminate Hamas fighters entrenched in the area, now controlling approximately 40 percent of the city, according to Israeli military sources. Gaza City, once home to nearly one million people before the war, has been extensively destroyed. Despite this, hundreds of thousands have returned to the city’s ruins, defying Israeli orders to evacuate and seeking shelter amid the ongoing violence.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen as international calls for ceasefire and aid intensify, with Egypt’s warnings highlighting the urgent need to prevent further displacement and loss of civilian life.

By Vafa Guliyeva