Egypt, Turkey warn of Israel’s ‘power-based arrogance’ after Gaza occupation decision

CAIRO – 9 August 2025: The Egyptian and Turkish foreign ministers firmly condemned a recent decision by Tel Aviv to occupy the entire Gaza Strip, calling for confronting Israel’s “power-based arrogance” that undermines the region’s security and stability.

Meeting with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in El Alamein City on Saturday, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty also warned against Israel’s continuation of systematic starvation and acts of genocide that fuel conflict, deepen hatred, and spread extremism across the region.

The Israeli security cabinet approved a plan on Friday to seize Gaza City, located in the northern part of the enclave and is home to hundreds of thousands of civilians, many of whom have been displaced multiple times during the war.

The five-point plan also indicates the establishment of an alternative civil administration unaffiliated with either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, disarmament of Hamas, the return of all captives, and demilitarisation of Gaza.

Israeli media reports suggest the operation will begin with the full takeover of Gaza City, involving the forced relocation of up to one million residents to southern parts of the strip.

The scheme threatens to deepen the humanitarian crisis as Israel has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, displaced the entire population, and left the enclave facing an imminent famine with over 200 starvation-related deaths, half of them children.

The recent Israeli scheme has drawn local, Arab and global backlash, including from Israel’s closest allies in the west like the United Kingdom as well as Germany that has decided to suspend all arms exports to Israel as a consequence.

European Council President Antonio Costa stated that the Israeli decision “must have consequences for EU-Israel relations, to be assessed by the Council,” while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged the Israeli government to “reconsider” its move.

In the wake of the decision, Egypt warned that Israel’s “continued policy of starvation, systematic killing, and genocide against the unarmed Palestinian people will only fuel the conflict, escalate tensions, deepen hatred, and spread extremism across the region.”

Meanwhile, from El Alamein, Fidan called for Muslim nations to unite against Gaza City takeover.

During the meeting with Fidan, Abdelatty slammed Israel’s repeated violations, which constitute a grave breach of all international treaties and obligations, and a direct assault on the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

He underlined the Israeli crackdown on the Palestinians’ right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Egyptian foreign minister reiterated that there can be no security or stability for Israel or the region without the realization of the Palestinian State.

The Israeli expansion of its operation comes at a time when Gaza is already grappling with widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease.

Famine is also looming due to Israel’s crackdown on essential infrastructure and severe restrictions on humanitarian aid, amounting to a full blockade for nearly three months this year.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, 212 people have died from starvation and malnutrition so far, nearly half of them children, adding to a rapidly rising toll from Israeli strikes, which has surpassed 61,300 since the war began.