Egypt considered the statements of the Israeli Minister of Finance regarding the displacement of Gaza residents to be "contrary to international and humanitarian law."

The Israeli Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, had stated that the evacuation of Gaza residents "is the humane solution for them and the region."

He said in a statement today, Tuesday, that he welcomes an initiative launched by members of the Knesset to voluntarily evacuate Gaza residents towards countries around the world that agree to receive them.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry commented: "It has been observed over the past period a flow of irresponsible statements attributed to officials of the Israeli government, which generally contravene the rules and provisions of international law and international humanitarian law."

Shoukry described Smotrich's statements as "an expression of the Israeli government's policy that violates international laws," affirming that "any attempt to justify and encourage the displacement of Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip is rejected by Egypt and internationally, in full."

Shoukry, in a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, deplored the talk about the displacement process as if it were voluntary, pointing out that "the displacement of citizens in Gaza is the result of deliberate military targeting of civilians in the sector, and intentional siege and starvation operations, aimed at creating conditions that lead citizens to leave their homes and residential areas, a fully constituted war crime according to the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949."

The Egyptian Foreign Minister confirmed Egypt's "firm rejection of policies of forced displacement of Palestinians, or deliberately withholding humanitarian aid and essential services, creating unbearable conditions for civilians, or allowing the liquidation of the Palestinian cause."

He considered that "those who claim to care about the humanitarian situation in Gaza must work to stop the military operations that have led to the killing of civilians, including children and women."

Shoukry also stressed that "Egypt will continue its efforts to preserve the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to remain on their land and establish their independent, viable, and contiguous state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital."