Egypt's FM: Ball is in Israel’s court to fulfill Gaza peace plan commitments

CAIRO – 20 August 2026: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said “the ball is now in Israel’s court” to fulfill its commitments and implement the requirements set out in US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Abdelatty said Egypt, Qatar and Türkiye had maintained full coordination as the three mediators in efforts to advance the Gaza peace process.

He said the mediators’ efforts and close coordination had succeeded in persuading Palestinian factions to respond to requests concerning restricting weapons.

He said the focus must now shift to implementing the recently- announced roadmap on Gaza. This includes Israel fulfilling its commitments under both the first and second phases of the US peace plan.

For the first phase, Abdelatty highlighted the need to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid, early-recovery supplies, and infrastructure and hospital rehabilitation.

He underscored commitments under the second phase, including the restriction of weapons, an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and an end to attacks.

It also includes enabling the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to carry out its temporary duties in the strip and deploying Palestinian police and the international stabilization force (ISF) to monitor the ceasefire.

 

Abdelatty said these steps should ultimately pave the way for the Palestinian people to exercise their legitimate right to self-determination and establish an independent Palestinian state along the June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The foreign ministers stressed the importance of pressing Israel to honor its commitments under the first phase of Trump’s peace plan for Gaza and the recently announced roadmap.

They emphasized continued close coordination with the United States and regional partners to ensure the implementation of Trump’s peace plan for Gaza.

Doubling Diplomatic Efforts

Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar primarily relies on the US to pressure Israel to fulfill its commitments.

He added that the three mediators would also undertake international diplomatic efforts to build pressure on Israel to honor its obligations.

The Qatari prime minister said Israel continued a pattern of conduct, in which it demands that the other side fulfill its commitments while doing the opposite itself.

 

He warned that the continuation of such actions would produce only negative consequences for Gaza, Israel and the region as a whole.

West Bank, Jerusalem

The meeting also addressed dangerous developments in the West Bank and Jerusalem, with the ministers warning against settlement expansion, rising settler attacks, as well as incursions and provocations at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

They stressed the need to halt unilateral Israeli measures, given the serious repercussions these practices have on the prospects for achieving peace and stability and on the region.

The foreign ministers also discussed bilateral relations and major investments between the two countries, alongside several regional issues, including Iran, the freedom of navigation, Lebanon, and the Horn of Africa.

Their meeting comes ahead of the seventh session of the Egyptian-Qatari Joint Higher Committee in Alamein.