Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has called for a halt to military escalation in the West Bank. His appeal came during a meeting in Cairo with Sigrid Kaag, the United Nations’ senior coordinator for humanitarian affairs and reconstruction in Gaza, as announced by Ahmed Abu Zeid, spokesperson for the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Abdel Atti assured Kaag of Egypt’s continued support to facilitate her mandate, as outlined in UN Security Council Resolution 2720.
The Egyptian government emphasized its commitment to supporting the UN’s efforts to ease the entry of humanitarian aid and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.
The minister also welcomed the collaboration between the UN mechanism and the Egyptian Red Crescent regarding humanitarian aid to Gaza through Egypt.
He stressed the importance of expediting the process of delivering humanitarian aid and removing any obstacles to its delivery.
Abdel Atti underscored the need for transparent and clear communication with the Security Council about the progress of the UN mechanism and the level of cooperation from various countries in fulfilling the mandate set by the Security Council, whether it involves facilitating humanitarian aid or establishing the UN mechanism.
Kaag detailed the significant efforts made recently to facilitate the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza, including participation in the polio vaccination campaign.
She also highlighted the challenges faced by the UN mechanism due to ongoing military operations and deteriorating security conditions in the region.
Kaag expressed her commitment to working closely with Egypt to mobilize additional humanitarian and relief assistance from the international donor community and to make necessary arrangements for its entry into Gaza as soon as conditions permit.
She thanked Egypt for its support to the UN mechanism since its establishment and expressed hope for continued cooperation to alleviate the humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian population in Gaza.
