Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has rejected accusations that Cairo is blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza, amid growing criticism on social media over the status of the Rafah border crossing. In a televised address, Sisi insisted that Egypt has never prevented aid from entering the besieged enclave, citing national values and moral responsibility.
“Our ethics, our values, and our national duty do not allow us to block aid,” he said. “This is not who we are, and it’s not what Egypt stands for.”
The remarks come as Egypt faces renewed scrutiny over its role in facilitating humanitarian access to Gaza, with critics alleging that the Rafah crossing has been closed to relief convoys. Cairo has repeatedly dismissed such claims as disinformation aimed at undermining its support for the Palestinian cause.
Sisi emphasized Egypt’s longstanding position in favor of a peaceful resolution to the conflict, including the establishment of a Palestinian state. He warned that forced displacement would erode the viability of the two-state solution and reiterated Egypt’s opposition to any form of population transfer.
“The idea of displacement empties the concept of a Palestinian state,” he said.
The president also called on U.S. President Donald Trump to use his influence to help end the war and facilitate the delivery of aid. “You can stop this war,” Sisi said, addressing Trump directly. “Please, do everything you can.”
Egypt, he added, has been working closely with Qatar and the United States since the outbreak of hostilities on 7 October to achieve three goals: ceasefire, aid delivery, and the release of hostages. He noted that Gaza requires between 600 and 700 trucks of aid daily under normal conditions, and that Egypt has mobilized significant resources to meet that need.
Sisi stressed that Rafah is primarily a pedestrian crossing and that its operation depends on coordination with the other side. He pointed out that Gaza is connected to six crossings in total, including Kerem Shalom and Rafah, and that Egypt has consistently kept its side open.
In closing, Sisi issued a broader appeal to the international community, including the European Union, the United States, and Arab nations, to intensify efforts to end the war, ease humanitarian suffering, and revive the political process
