Sameh Shoukry, the Egyptian Foreign Minister, received a phone call on March 27 from Lord David Cameron, the UK’s Foreign Secretary for Commonwealth and Development Affairs, according to Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesperson and Director of the General Diplomacy Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The call aimed at consulting and coordinating efforts regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip and the necessary steps to end the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Abu Zeid emphasized that both ministers exchanged assessments regarding the deteriorating humanitarian and security situations in Gaza, as well as the regional and international efforts required to achieve a ceasefire, facilitate prisoner exchanges, and ensure the full delivery of humanitarian aid to the area.
They underscored the importance of implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2728 and building upon it to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire to end the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Abu Zeid added that the call addressed ways to coordinate between international and regional actors to end the war in Gaza and alleviate the worsening humanitarian catastrophe. Minister Shoukry reiterated Egypt’s continued efforts across all levels to facilitate reaching an agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza, leading to a permanent cessation of hostilities in the region to protect the lives of Palestinian civilians.
Furthermore, Abu Zeid stated that Minister Shoukry affirmed to his British counterpart Egypt’s firm rejection of any ground military operation in Palestinian Rafah, warning of its serious humanitarian consequences and potential security impacts on the region’s stability.
He also emphasized the need to curb Israeli policies and practices aimed at creating an uninhabitable reality in the Gaza Strip, including indiscriminate targeting, starvation, and collective punishment against Palestinian civilians. Shoukry reiterated Egypt’s rejection of all means of forced displacement of Palestinians from their lands and any attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause.
The ministers agreed to continue consultations in the coming period to address the crisis in the Gaza Strip and contain its ramifications.
