Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty says that the "international stabilization force" must be deployed as soon as possible because "one party, Israel, violates the ceasefire every day," AFP writes.
At the same time, he says that Egypt's border crossing with Gaza, in Rafah, "will not become a gate for displacement". According to him, it is only there to "flood Gaza with humanitarian and medical aid".
Israel announced on Wednesday that Palestinians would be able to travel out via Rafah in the coming days. Egypt shortly after denied that such an agreement had been reached, stating that a settlement would require travel in both directions.
The UN and humanitarian organizations have long called for the border to be opened.
“Critical moment”
The first phase of the ceasefire came into effect on October 10. The next phase – which has not yet begun – includes the deployment of an international security force in Gaza, the formation of a new technocratic transitional government for the area, the disarmament of Hamas and a final withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin al-Thani says the Gaza ceasefire has reached a "critical moment" as its first phase draws to a close - with only one Israeli hostage remaining in Hamas custody, according to the AP.
Cannot be completed
Furthermore, the Qatari leader says that international mediators, led by the United States, are working to “force a path forward” to the second phase to cement the agreement.
A ceasefire cannot be completed unless Israeli forces withdraw completely, stability returns to Gaza and people can travel in and out, which is not the case today, he said at an international conference in the capital Doha.
