Egypt urges continued African solidarity with Palestinians on AU summit sidelines

ADDIS ABABA – 14 February 2026: Egypt’s foreign minister stressed the importance of continuing historic African solidarity with the Palestinian people as he met on Saturday with the Palestinian prime minister.

Meeting on the sidelines of the African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa discussed the situation in the Palestinian territories.

Their talks covered efforts to advance the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.

African Solidarity

The foreign minister said the African summit provided an important occasion to reiterate the continent’s established support for the Palestinian cause.

He highlighted the importance of continued historic African solidarity with the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights, foremost their right to establish an independent state on the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy and the principle of a two-state solution.

International Stabilization Force

Abdelatty stressed the importance of fully implementing the provisions of Trump plan’s second phase, foremost among them the swift formation and deployment of the international stabilization force (ISF) to monitor the ceasefire in Gaza.

The foreign minister affirmed the need for ensuring the regular flow of humanitarian aid and overseeing Israel’s withdrawal from areas it controls in the Gaza Strip.

 

He said such steps would help consolidate stability and create conditions suitable for early recovery and reconstruction.

Technocrats’ Committee

The foreign minister renewed Egypt’s support for the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), chaired by Ali Shaath, comprising a group of Palestinian technocrats.

He described the NCAG as a temporary transitional mechanism to manage the territory’s daily affairs and meet residents’ basic needs.

The arrangement, he said, is intended to pave the way for the Palestinian Authority to fully assume its responsibilities in Gaza, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2803, while preserving the unity of Palestinian territory and rejecting any attempts to separate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank.

Israeli Violations

Abdelatty also condemned the recent flagrant Israeli decisions and violations in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including settlement expansion, land confiscation and settler violence.

He said such actions undermine prospects for a just and comprehensive peace and threaten the viability of a two-state solution.

Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s opposition to any unilateral measures that alter the legal and historical status of Palestinian territories.

For his part, the Palestinian prime minister expressed deep appreciation for Egypt’s pivotal role in supporting the Palestinian cause, commending Cairo’s efforts to solidify the ceasefire and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid.

Mustafa emphasized the importance of continued coordination and consultation with Egypt in the coming phase to support Palestinian unity and strengthen Arab and African backing for the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights.