Egypt, a major mediator in negotiations between Israel and Hamas, moved diplomatically after an Israeli bombing of the Al-Mawasi area, which left dozens dead and wounded.

The bombing in the humanitarian zone, where the Israeli army demanded that the Palestinians take refuge, led to the death of at least 71 people and the injury of 289 others.

Israel said it targeted two prominent Hamas leaders, and Israeli media reports revealed their identities, saying that they were the leader of the armed wing of the Hamas movement, Muhammad Deif, and Rafi Salama, the commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade.

In light of the operation, a high-ranking Egyptian source said today, Saturday, that his country had informed the concerned parties of the danger of the Israeli escalation in the Gaza Strip and the targeting of civilians.

The source added to the Cairo News channel, which is close to the Egyptian authorities, that Israel is still practicing policies that lead to further escalation, which will have dire consequences for the entire region.

Egypt recently hosted Israeli and American delegations to discuss the outstanding points in the truce agreement in the Gaza Strip.

Rafah Crossing

Meanwhile, the Egyptian channel also quoted a senior source, today, Saturday, as saying that Cairo adheres to Israel’s complete withdrawal from the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, and not placing any restrictions on the movement of Palestinian citizens to and from the Gaza Strip.

The source added that Egypt affirms its position on the need for Israel to allow freedom for the movement of humanitarian, relief and medical aid to the Gaza Strip, while emphasizing the need to open all land crossings with the Strip immediately.

Condemnation

Cairo condemned the Israeli attack on the Al-Mawasi area in the Gaza Strip, and the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Egypt “condemned in the strongest terms Israel’s bombing of the Al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Yunis, full of displaced people, which led to the martyrdom and injury of dozens of innocent Palestinian civilians.”

I called on Israel to "stop underestimating the lives of defenseless civilian citizens, and to adhere to due humanitarian standards in compliance with the provisions of international law and international humanitarian law."

She also stressed that “these crimes will not be subject to the statute of limitations, and they cannot be accepted under any justification.”

She stressed that “these ongoing violations against Palestinian citizens add serious complications to the ability of the efforts currently being made to reach calm and a ceasefire, and increase the human suffering of the Palestinians amid shameful international silence and inability.”