Egypt’s FM discusses with UN official efforts to accelerate aid entry into Gaza

CAIRO – 28 January 2024: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held a telephone call Sunday with senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag.

Shoukry and Kaag exchanged assessments and visions on paths of action to activate the UN mechanism established pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 2720 to facilitate and accelerate the process of introducing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

The two parties stressed the necessity of increasing the flow of aid to Gaza in a manner sufficient to meet the urgent needs of the residents of the Strip, in addition to the necessity of providing aid material and political support to the Gaza Strip, said the ministry spokesman.

Shoukry said the need for international parties to assume their responsibilities towards ensuring the full implementation of the provisions of Security Council Resolution 2720, the relevant UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, as well as the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), including the halt of temporary measures obliging Israel to ensure the provision of urgent humanitarian needs immediately to Gaza, stressing the need for Israel to remove all obstacles it places in the way of the entry of aid to the residents of the Strip.

Spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid added that the UN official was keen to inform Shoukry of her evaluation of the consultations she carried out during her visit to the region, and prior to the briefing that the UN official will conduct before the Security Council session, where Shoukry stressed Egypt’s full support for the UN official’s tasks.

For her part, the UN official expressed her appreciation for the Egyptian efforts in providing and delivering humanitarian and relief aid to the Gaza Strip, stressing its keenness to continue coordination and consultation with Egypt to ensure the implementation of its tasks and increase the flow of humanitarian aid to the Strip