CAIRO, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Egypt on Friday categorically denied media reports that it is prepared to relocate half a million Gaza residents to North Sinai as part of Gaza reconstruction efforts.

In a statement, the State Information Service (SIS) denounced these allegations as "false," saying they completely contradict Egypt's firm position against any attempt to displace Palestinians, forcibly or voluntarily, to any place, including Egypt.

The statement warned that relocating Palestinians to Egypt endangers Egyptian security and liquidates the Palestinian cause.

The SIS stressed that the basis of Cairo's plan for Gaza reconstruction is to keep Palestinians on their land, adding this 53-billion-U.S. dollar plan has been unanimously approved by Arab leaders at an emergency Arab summit held early this month.

Earlier on Friday, several Israeli media outlets reported that Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said during a symposium in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh that he is "willing to temporarily relocate half a million residents from Gaza to a designated city in North Sinai as part of the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip."

According to the reports, the plan "would require Egypt to open its border to Gaza residents wishing to leave the territory." Enditem

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