The yellow line, a provisional boundary etched into the ceasefire deal that took effect on October 10, 2025, delineates zones where Israeli forces are permitted to operate from areas accessible to Palestinian civilians. This demarcation was a cornerstone of the first phase of the U.S.-brokered "Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict," a 20-point framework unveiled by President Donald Trump in September 2025. Under its provisions, Israel withdrew from northern Gaza but retained positions in the south and central regions, occupying roughly 55% of the 365-square-kilometer enclave. Hamas, in exchange, released all remaining living hostages—20 in total—along with the remains of 12 out of 28 deceased captives, while Israel freed 250 long-term Palestinian prisoners and over 1,700 administrative detainees.
Abdelatty, addressing a panel that included Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, described the situation as precarious. "We need to deploy this force as soon as possible on the ground because one party, which is Israel, is every day violating the ceasefire and claiming that the other side is the one who is violating," he stated. Official data from Gaza's Health Ministry indicates that since the truce began, Israeli forces have been accused of over 591 violations, including airstrikes, artillery shelling, and incursions beyond the yellow line, resulting in at least 366 Palestinian deaths and 953 injuries. The Israel Defense Forces counter that these actions target Hamas militants crossing the line, citing 18 instances of Palestinian fire since October.
The minister advocated for a "peacekeeping rather than peace-enforcing" mandate for the proposed International Stabilization Force (ISF), prioritizing de-escalation over confrontation. This aligns with UN Security Council Resolution 2803, adopted on November 17, 2025, which endorses Trump's plan and authorizes the ISF to monitor compliance, secure borders, and facilitate demilitarization. The resolution, passed 13-0 with abstentions from China and Russia, also establishes a "Board of Peace" chaired by Trump and comprising about 10 Arab and Western leaders to oversee transitional governance, including a technocratic Palestinian committee of 12-15 non-partisan experts. U.S. officials aim to announce the Board’s full composition by December 15, with initial ISF deployments targeted for January 2026, potentially involving troops from Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, and Turkey.
"Now we have to consolidate the ceasefire to move forward as soon as possible to the second phase of the Trump peace plan," Abdelatty continued. Phase two envisions full Israeli withdrawal, Hamas disarmament—starting with heavy weapons—and the handover of administration to the reformed Palestinian Authority, paving the way for Gaza-West Bank reunification under Palestinian self-rule. The minister reiterated Egypt's long-held position: "Palestinians should run their own affairs," viewing Gaza and the West Bank as "an integral part" of an independent Palestinian state. "There is no solution or sustainable security and stability for Israel or for the Middle East without the Palestinian state… apart from that, all will be temporary solutions."
Abdelatty's remarks come against a backdrop of deepening humanitarian despair. Since October 7, 2023, Israel's military campaign has claimed over 70,000 Palestinian lives—mostly women and children—and injured nearly 171,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, figures deemed reliable by the United Nations and World Health Organization. A January 2025 study published in The Lancet estimated traumatic injury deaths alone at 64,260 by mid-2024, projecting over 70,000 by October, with indirect fatalities from famine, disease, and infrastructure collapse pushing totals higher. Winter’s onset exacerbates the crisis: with 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents displaced and lacking shelter, aid agencies warn of hypothermia and disease outbreaks.
On the issue of displacement, Abdelatty drew a firm line. The Rafah crossing—Gaza’s sole non-Israeli gateway—remains open 24/7 from Egypt’s side, but Israel keeps the Gaza-side gate shuttered, allowing only limited medical evacuations. Cairo has consistently rejected Israeli proposals to reopen it one-way for Palestinian exits, insisting on bidirectional access in line with the ceasefire terms. "Egypt will not allow the crossing to be used as a gate for displacement or for putting people out of their homeland," Abdelatty affirmed. "There is no ethical or moral justification to displace the Palestinians… Only we can allow those who are injured and need medical assistance from outside." He implored the international community to "flood Gaza with all humanitarian and medical aid and to prepare for the early recovery and the reconstruction of Gaza, because winter is already coming and people are suffering, no shelters."
The minister extended his critique to the occupied West Bank, where he described conditions as "even worse than in Gaza." United Nations data reveals a surge in settler violence: 1,680 attacks in 2025 alone—averaging five daily—affecting over 270 communities, with more than 1,000 Palestinians injured, more than double the previous year’s toll. October recorded 264 incidents, the highest monthly figure since 2006, including arson on olive groves and assaults during harvest season. Palestinian factions describe these as daily settler attacks intended to terrorize civilians and force population displacement, often under army protection. Israeli leaders, including President Isaac Herzog, have condemned the violence, yet over 93% of investigations close without charges.
Abdelatty stressed that empowering the Palestinian Authority in Gaza is essential to ensure unity and integration between Gaza and the West Bank. Yet political obstacles remain: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition boycotted a Knesset vote endorsing Trump’s plan, with far-right allies opposing any pathway to Palestinian statehood. Analysts warn that without curbing settler vigilantism—up 30% in early 2025—the West Bank risks becoming a tinderbox that could derail phase two and broader regional support.
Qatar’s prime minister echoed the urgency, calling the truce a "critical moment" that demands full Israeli withdrawal and lasting stability. As mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey intensify discussions—particularly on clear rules of engagement for the ISF—the responsibility now falls heavily on the Trump administration to bridge remaining divides. Funding for humanitarian relief remains critically short, with only 40% of the $4 billion 2025 appeal for Gaza and the West Bank secured.
For millions of Gazans enduring another winter without homes or security, and for Palestinians across the occupied territories facing daily violence, Abdelatty’s message was clear: temporary ceasefires and patchwork solutions are no substitute for a just and permanent peace grounded in Palestinian self-determination and statehood.
