Egypt, Palestine stress preserving territorial unity in Gaza, West Bank

CAIRO – 23 August 2026: Egypt and Palestine stressed the importance of preserving the territorial unity of the Palestinian territories in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and enabling the Palestinian Authority to assume its responsibilities.

The statement came during a phone call between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Palestinian Vice President Hussein Al-Sheikh, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Sunday.

The two sides discussed the dangerous developments in the West Bank, with Abdelatty condemning Israel’s expansion of settlement activities, escalating settler violence, and violations in East Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

E1 Settlement Project

Abdelatty also reiterated Egypt’s categorical rejection of the settlement project in the E1 area.

He warned that the project threatens to divide the West Bank, encircle and isolate East Jerusalem, and undermine prospects for establishing an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The call also addressed ongoing efforts to complete the commitments of the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan in accordance with the roadmap and move to its second phase.

The plan includes ensuring the continued flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and enabling the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to carry out its duties from within the enclave, the statement stated.

Al-Sheikh praised Egypt’s supportive role in the Palestinian cause and its efforts to support the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, reaffirming the continuation of coordination and consultations between the two sides.