Sisi, King Abdullah reject Gaza displacement plans

Egypt’s President Sisi welcomed Jordan’s King Abdullah to Cairo on Sunday for talks on restoring stability to the Middle East region.

The two leaders reiterated their opposition to “any attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land," according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.

They stressed the need to fully implement the Gaza ceasefire, allow unhindered humanitarian aid, and accelerate reconstruction efforts in the territory.

The meeting came as Israel announced the partial reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the devastated Gaza Strip and Egypt.

Cairo has long opposed plans to displace Palestinians from Gaza, saying it would constitute an “ethnic cleansing” and the end of any hope for a Palestinian state.

Egypt is also concerned that a major influx of refugees from Gaza, possibly including Hamas fighters, would be costly and pose an immediate security concern.