Cairo: The relocation of Palestinians from Gaza is a threat to Egypt’s national security… We are stronger than pressure

Egypt has reiterated its firm rejection of any attempt to forcibly or voluntarily relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, following claims that Egypt had agreed to such a relocation in exchange for economic aid.

The Egyptian State Information Service clarified in a statement that these claims are baseless, emphasizing that Egypt’s foreign policy will never be based on trading “Egyptian and Arab supreme interests” for any compensation, regardless of its nature. It also stressed that any attempt to relocate Palestinians is considered a threat to Egypt’s national security.

Egypt’s response to Witkoff’s statements

In a related context, Egyptian media figures and bloggers launched an attack on U.S. Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who, in an interview with American broadcaster Tucker Carlson, stated that Egypt is facing “bankruptcy” and high unemployment rates, describing the country’s economic situation as “extremely difficult.” These remarks provoked many Egyptians, who considered them an attempt to pressure Egypt over the Gaza issue.

In response, media figure and parliamentarian Mustafa Bakri categorically dismissed Witkoff’s remarks, stating that Egypt has the second-largest economy in Africa and possesses significant capacity to overcome crises. Bakri added that these statements were part of an attempt to pressure Egypt due to its firm stance on Palestine and its decisive refusal to forcibly relocate Gaza’s residents.