Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has called for the full implementation of the Gaza roadmap, including a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The appeal came during a phone call with Nikolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace's high representative for Gaza, according to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
Abdelatty emphasized the need for the 'full, safe and sustainable' delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and called for enabling the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to begin its interim duties from inside the strip. He also stressed the importance of deploying an International Stabilization Force to monitor the ceasefire, support security during the transitional period, and preserve the unity of the Palestinian territories.
The foreign minister said the process should ultimately enable the Palestinian Authority to assume its full responsibilities in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. He urged all parties to fulfill their obligations and refrain from measures that could obstruct implementation or undermine progress already achieved.
Roadmap details and Israeli rejection
The Gaza roadmap, approved by the Board of Peace and accepted by Hamas, calls for Israeli withdrawal and Hamas disarmament to be implemented gradually and in parallel. It envisages transferring administration in Gaza to a Palestinian technocratic committee, deploying an international stabilization force, placing weapons under the responsibility of the National Committee for Gaza Administration under international supervision, alongside a phased Israeli withdrawal and reconstruction efforts.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the 15-point Gaza plan approved by the Board of Peace. He insisted that Israeli forces would not withdraw from Gaza until Hamas was disarmed, and reaffirmed his rejection of an independent Palestinian state.
Implementation of the Gaza roadmap is the only way out of the violence spiral.
Nikolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace's high representative for Gaza, stated that implementation of the Gaza roadmap is the only way out of the violence spiral in the Middle East. He said Israelis and people in Gaza have a shared strong interest in escaping the violent spiral that has cost many lives and caused destruction on both sides. Mladenov also stated that the goal of the plan is to ensure the Gaza Strip will never again pose a threat to Israel and that the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023, will never be repeated.
Mladenov said Israeli troop withdrawal is expected only after verified handover of weapons by armed factions in Gaza, including Hamas. He added that currently, Israel is only being asked not to advance beyond the so-called 'yellow line' into the Gaza Strip, and that Israeli soldiers may only shoot in case of a genuine threat.
Hamas remains committed to the Gaza roadmap.
