Egypt hits back at Israeli minister Smotrich's 'disgraceful' remarks

The diplomatic tensions between Egypt and Israel escalated following controversial remarks made by an Israeli minister implicating Egypt in the events of October 7.

Egypt's foreign ministry on Monday condemned as "disgraceful" and "irresponsible" comments by Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich who claimed Cairo has "considerable responsibility" for Hamas's October 7 attack.

Smotrich said during a meeting of his Religious Zionism party that "the Egyptians bear considerable responsibility for October 7", according to Israeli public broadcaster Kan.

Israel's attempt to widen the conflict

As the discourse intensifies, fueled by fears of an expanding conflict, Israel's attempts to widen the scope of the confrontation have heightened concerns over the region's stability.

This latest development underscores the delicate balance of power and the complexities of geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East.

Smotrich claimed that "much of Hamas's armaments pass through Egypt", which shares a border with Gaza and has been a key mediator in efforts to end the fighting.

In a statement, Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said it was "unfortunate and disgraceful" for the Israeli minister to "continue releasing irresponsible and inflammatory statements".

"Egypt fully controls its territory, and does not allow any party to involve Egypt's name in failed attempts to justify its own shortcomings," he said.

"A ravenous hunger for killing"

Israel's offensive has pushed more than half of the besieged Gaza's 2.4 million people into vast tent cities in the southern city of Rafah on the Egyptian border.

Israel has begun to focus on Rafah as its most recent target, with worries of a looming Israeli ground incursion. Israeli strikes pounded the city overnight, killing around 100 people.

As per Egypt's Al-Qahera News network, Cairo is "closely following the situation" in Rafah, and "is ready to deal with every scenario".

The foreign ministry spokesman said Smotrich's remarks reflect "a ravenous hunger for killing and destruction and sabotage of any attempt to contain the crisis in the Gaza Strip".