Eight Muslim countries express deep concern over Israel’s plan for a one-way exit from Gaza, rejecting any forced displacement of Palestinians.
RIYADH: Mediators Egypt and Qatar, along with six other Muslim-majority countries, expressed deep concern on Friday over Israel’s stated intention to open a one-way crossing for Palestinians to exit Gaza.
The foreign ministers of Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement condemning the plan.
They voiced “their absolute rejection of any attempts to expel the Palestinian people from their land” and opposed “compelling any resident of the Gaza Strip to leave”.
The ministers urged for the Rafah crossing to be opened in both directions in accordance with US President Donald Trump’s peace plan.
Israel said on Wednesday it would open the crossing from Gaza to Egypt exclusively to allow residents to exit “in the coming days”.
Egypt swiftly denied agreeing to such a deal, insisting the key crossing must be opened in both directions.
Reopening Rafah is a part of Trump’s peace plan and a long-standing demand of UN agencies and humanitarian actors.
Israeli authorities have stalled on the matter since the October ceasefire, citing Hamas’s failure to return all hostage bodies and the need for coordination with Egypt
