CAIRO, Dec 19 (MENA) - President Abdel Fattah El Sisi reiterated Egypt's rejection of any scenarios for liquidating the Palestinian cause, either through the forced displacement or through separating the Gaza Strip from the West Bank and Jerusalem.

The president also emphasized Egypt's commitment to supporting Lebanon to complete its constitutional entitlements, by electing a president for the country, underlining the importance of the full and non-selective implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which enables the Lebanese army to have control over all Lebanese territories.

Sisi made the remarks in a speech that he delivered in a special session held on the sidelines of the 11th Developing Eight Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8) Summit, to address the situation in Palestine and Lebanon, in addition to Egypt's efforts to restore regional stability.

The president said Egypt will spare no effort to stand by Arab and Islamic peoples to preserve their sovereignty and territorial integrity and will continue its tireless endeavors to de-escalate tensions in the region and restore security, stability and peace in order to move forward on the path of development and progress.

President Sisi said the summit comes at a time when the Middle East faces grave threats, noting the current events in the region are the best proof to the double standards that the world is experiencing, the absence of human principles and values, and the marginalization of the rules of international law.

The president said Israel violated the international law and the international humanitarian law, as the number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, has surpassed 45,000, with the injury of more than 107,000 others, mostly women and children, as well as the displacement of 1.9 million Palestinians.

President Sisi highlighted that the rates of poverty, unemployment and hunger in Gaza have reached catastrophic levels ranging from 80% to 100%, with more than 90% of the enclave's population expected to suffer from acute food shortage.

He also spoke about Israeli violations against Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, who suffer from the expansion of settlement activities, the violence of settlers and military incursions.

President Sisi stressed the pivotal role of UNRWA in providing support for the Palestinian people, saying the right of return to Palestinian refugees is not time-barred.

The president underlined the necessity of reaching an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza and removing Israeli obstacles to the access of humanitarian aid, along with paving the way for post-war arrangements.

President said any perception for Gaza's future should be based on the two-state solution, which calls for the establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state within the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Regarding Lebanon, the president said the Israeli aggression on the Arab country led to the killing of 4,000 people, including women and children and wounding more than 16,000 others, as well as the displacement of nearly 1.2 million people.

He added that Egypt offered all forms of support to the Lebanese people, as it established a direct airlift between Cairo and Beirut, through which it delivered 92 tons of medical and relief supplies to Lebanon.

He affirmed the significance of uniting international efforts to mobilize the necessary financing for the reconstruction process in Lebanon, especially as international estimates indicate that Lebanon needs about USD 5 billion for reconstruction.

The president expressed Egypt's strong condemnation of Israeli incursion into Syria and its declaration of the unilateral annulment of the 1974 disengagement agreement.

President Sisi stressed Egypt's backing of Syria's unity, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its backing of any effort that contributes to the success of the comprehensive political process in Syria with the participation of all Syrians, without external dictates or interference. (MENA)

M R E/S R E