Egypt’s FM heads to Beirut for talks with Lebanese officials on ceasefire efforts

CAIRO – 13 November 2024: Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty traveled to Beirut on Wednesday to engage in discussions with senior Lebanese officials regarding the ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Lebanon.

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a release that Abdelatty will convey a message of solidarity to Lebanon amidst the critical political and humanitarian conditions faced by the sisterly country due to the brutal Israeli aggression on Lebanese territories.

Abdelatty will also address the worsening humanitarian situation in Lebanon during his meetings with officials.

As part of the visit, a new shipment of humanitarian aid will be transported via the Egyptian airbridge to provide support to Lebanon in accordance with the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

Furthermore, Abdelatty’s visit will oversee the repatriation of “a number of” Egyptian citizens residing in Lebanon back to their homeland, as per the ministry, without specifying exact figures.

The Lebanese territories have experienced turmoil since the outbreak of the Israeli war in Gaza in October 2023, with Hezbollah and Israel engaging in cross-border clashes prior to Israel's incursion into southern Lebanon on October 1.

Over the past 13 months, tens of thousands of individuals in northern Israel have been displaced due to Hezbollah rocket attacks, with Israel aiming to repatriate them through the assault on Lebanon.

The intense Israeli bombardment has killed over 3,200 people in Lebanon over the past year, including 2,600 casualties since Israel initiated a severe air campaign nearly two months ago, followed by its ground invasion, as per data provided by the Lebanese health ministry.

The Israeli aggression has also led to around 1.2 million people in Lebanon being displaced from their residences.

Efforts led by the United States to broker a ceasefire in Lebanon have not yielded results to date.

While Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar indicated progress in ceasefire discussions on Monday, Israel's new Defense Minister, Israel Katz, stated on Tuesday that there would be no ceasefire in Lebanon until Israel achieves its objectives.

Speaking at a press briefing in Jerusalem, Saar mentioned that Israel is collaborating with the United States on a ceasefire but insists that Hezbollah must withdraw north of the Litani River—roughly 30 km from the border—and prevent rearmament through Syria.