Arab states reject forced displacement from Gaza
Egypt’s President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has said he rejects the forced displacement of Palestinians into the Sinai peninsula as the first aid convoy entered Gaza after two weeks of war.
Speaking at a summit in Cairo, Mr Sisi said the only solution was an independent state for Palestinians.
The summit began as 20 trucks carrying aid crossed the Rafah border.
However, humanitarian organisations have warned it will not be enough to address the need.
About 500 trucks a day had been entering Gaza before the war started. Some 1.2 million people living in the territory already relied on food aid, the UN says.
The UN will be responsible for distributing the aid, with much of it likely to be sent to UN schools where thousands have been sheltering and hospitals.
One of the trucks was loaded with coffins, a BBC reporter watching the trucks enter Gaza reports.
Afterwards US President Joe Biden expressed his “deep personal appreciation” to Egypt, Israel and the UN for allowing the aid to get through.
“We will continue to work with all parties to keep the Rafah crossing in operation to enable the continued movement of aid that is imperative to the welfare of the people of Gaza,” his statement said.
Israel’s military said the aid was for southern Gaza only and repeated calls for residents in the northern Gaza Strip to leave their homes.
They should move south of Wadi Gaza in the centre of the territory, it said.
It has vowed to wipe the Hamas “off the face of the earth”.
However in his speech at the Cairo-hosted “Summit for Peace”, Mr Sisi said his country would not allow Palestinians to be displaced across the Rafah crossing into Egypt.
His comments were backed by Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud.
Mahmoud Abbas, who is head of the Palestinian Authority which has control over areas of the occupied West Bank but not the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, also said Palestinians could not be forced to leave. —BBC
