Egypt denounces 'baseless' accusations of contributing to Gaza blockade

CAIRO – 25 July 2025: Egypt has denounced the “baseless” accusations that it has contributed to the blockade on the Gaza Strip, expressing strong condemnation of the “malicious propaganda” that aims to distort its supportive stance on the Palestinian cause.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made these remarks on Thursday while 113 people have died of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza due to the Israeli besiege, including 81 children, according to the enclave's health ministry.

More than 100 aid organizations on Wednesday warned about the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, stating that "mass starvation" is spreading and that their own colleagues are suffering from severe shortages.

The UN relief agency UNRWA’s latest findings indicate that one in every five children is malnourished in Gaza City, stated UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, noting that cases are increasing every day.

Israel had blocked aid deliveries to Gaza for nearly three months from early March to mid-May, before being forced to resume them under heavy global pressure, including from its closest allies in the West.

Israel resumed the aid mainly through the controversial Israeli and US backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) at a few fixed points across the enclave. At these sites, more than 1,000 starving Palestinians have been shot dead by Israeli forces.

The health ministry in Gaza has called these points “death traps” and accused the Israeli occupation and the GHF of “deliberately committing massacres against the starving in a systematic manner using various methods.”

The UN has warned that its aid deliveries to Gaza currently remain far below what is needed for the survival of the population.

Lazzarini has called for allowing unrestricted and uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to Gaza, noting that they have the equivalent of 6,000 trucks loaded with food and medical supplies in both Egypt and Jordan.

Photo by UNRWA

Israel Obstructing Aid

“Egypt reiterates that the Rafah crossing has never been closed from the Egyptian side,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in its statement, in reference to the main entry point for humanitarian aid bound for Gaza.

The Palestinian side of the crossing is now controlled by Israel, which has waged a brutal war against over 2 million Gaza residents, killing nearly 60,000 of them, most of whom are women and children.

“The Palestinian side is occupied by the Israeli authorities, which prevent passage through it,” the ministry stressed.

Egypt emphasized “the superficiality and illogical nature” of the baseless accusations directed against the nation’s supportive stance on Palestine, saying they contradict both the Egyptian stance and national interests.

‘Ceasefire Talks at Stake’

The Egyptian remarks also coincide with critical developments regarding the indirect talks between Hamas and Israel, mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States.

Israel and the US have pulled their negotiators from the Gaza ceasefire talks after Hamas submitted its response to the current truce proposal.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff accused Hamas of not “acting in good faith,” vowing to “consider alternative options to bring the hostages home.”

Hamas expressed its deep astonishment at Witkoff's “negative statements” regarding the movement's position on the ceasefire talks, stressing that their final response to the proposal “addressed all observations positively.”

Hamas in a statement affirmed their “commitment to engaging in the talks in a way that contributes to overcoming obstacles and reaching a permanent ceasefire agreement.”

Sources told Al Arabiya that the mediators convened a session to prevent the collapse of the talks.

‘Unrelenting Support’

The ministry stated that the claims against Egypt disregard the significant role that the nation has played and continues to play since the onset of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, including relentless efforts to achieve a ceasefire.

The ministry also underlined Egypt’s leadership of humanitarian relief operations and its role in facilitating the entry of aid through the Rafah crossing.

Egypt has also worked on preparing and promoting a reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, which has been endorsed by Arab countries and supported by various international parties, the ministry added.

The reconstruction plan aims to save innocent Palestinians in Gaza, facilitate aid delivery, and initiate early recovery and reconstruction efforts, Egypt said.

The plan aligns with Egypt’s steadfast position to ensure the survival and resilience of the Palestinian people on their land and to resist attempts of forced displacement, land seizure and liquidation of the Palestinian cause, read the statement.

Egypt stated that is fully aware of the malicious organizations and entities behind this disinformation campaign.

The nation warned that such claims “seek to create distrust among Arab nations and distract Arab and international public opinion from the true causes of the humanitarian catastrophe affecting over two million Palestinian citizens in Gaza.”

‘Commitment to Palestinian Cause’

In the statement, Cairo vows to continue its efforts to alleviate the suffering of the people in the Gaza Strip, achieve a ceasefire, facilitate humanitarian aid, and initiate reconstruction.

Egypt will also persist in its endeavors to unify the West Bank and Gaza Strip, ensure connectivity between Palestinian territories, the ministry said.

Egypt also reiterated its dedication to efforts aimed at commencing a political process to implement the two-state solution, establishing a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy and the borders of June 4, 1967.