CAIRO 

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi pledged on Wednesday to work “with utmost determination” to ensure the full implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Addressing an event in Cairo marking the 73rd anniversary of Egypt’s Police Day, Sisi highlighted Egypt’s ongoing efforts, alongside Qatar and the US, to mediate the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, which began on Jan. 19.

Sisi described the ceasefire as “a living testament to Egypt's relentless efforts and ongoing endeavors alongside its partners.”

“We will exert maximum effort to fully implement this agreement to stop the bloodshed of our Palestinian brothers, restore services in Gaza to make it livable, and prevent any attempts to displace its residents under these dire circumstances,” he stressed.

The Egyptian leader reaffirmed his country’s categorical rejection of displacing Gaza’s residents, underscoring the importance of preserving the Palestinian cause.

The first six-week phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement took effect on Jan. 19, suspending Israel’s genocidal war that has killed nearly 47,200 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 111,160 since Oct. 7, 2023.

The three-phase ceasefire agreement includes a prisoner exchange and sustained calm, aiming for a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

The Israeli onslaught has left more than 11,000 people missing, with widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis that has claimed the lives of many elderly people and children in one of the worst global humanitarian disasters ever.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in November last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio