Egypt welcomed leaders and representatives from Arab and Western countries on Saturday for a “Summit for Peace”, on the 15th day of war between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas, in power in Gaza, bordering Egypt.
UN boss Antonio Guterres, who was in Rafah, the border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, will be present on Friday, as will European leaders Charles Michel and Josep Borrell.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and foreign ministers from France, Britain and Germany will also attend the summit in the new capital bordering Cairo. .
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi initially announced an international conference on “the future of the Palestinian question” before opting for a “Summit for Peace”.
Egypt wants to be on the front line of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The first Arab country to sign peace with Israel in 1979, Cairo is a traditional mediator between Israel and the Palestinians – notably Hamas.
Egypt also holds the only opening to the world in the Gaza Strip that is not controlled by Israel, Rafah. And it is through this that food and humanitarian aid began to be delivered on Saturday to the 2.4 million Gazans, half of them children, now without water, electricity or fuel.
It is also towards Egypt that foreigners and dual nationals from Gaza should exit, because Israel has hermetically sealed the other crossing point for people from Gaza, the Erez crossing.
