Egypt committed to working to achieve calm in, around Gaza: Shoukry to European FMs

CAIRO – 8 October 2023: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Egypt is committed to continuing exerting all possible efforts to achieve calm and ensure immediate de-escalation in Gaza and its surrounding areas.

He made the remarks as he discussed efforts to halt the current ongoing Palestinian-Israeli escalation with foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, Hungary, Netherlands and Canada.

In a phone call on Sunday, Shoukry and his British counterpart James Cleverly expressed deep concerns regarding the continued escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip and other areas between the Palestinian and Israeli sides.

The two ministers stressed the need to coordinate to urge the parties to exercise utmost levels of self-restraint.

This would help prevent sliding into a bloody path for which more innocent civilians will pay the price and consequences would extend to the entire region.

Shoukry highlighted Egypt’s commitment to continuing contacts with the parties to demand an end to the escalation in the Gaza Strip.

Shoukry also stressed the importance of the UN Security Council assuming its responsibility towards the immediate cessation of ongoing military operations.

The Security Council also has to approve measures that would deal with the Palestinian cause from an integrated perspective and to preserve the rights of the Palestinians, Shoukry added.

The two ministers agreed to continue consultation and coordination during the coming days in order to prevent further escalation between the Palestinians and Israelis.

Shoukry also received phone calls from Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, and Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Hanke Bruins Slot.

The talks were part of the ongoing consultations that Egypt is conducting to stop the escalation between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said.

Shoukry's contacts with his counterparts focused on assessing the ongoing escalation in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings between the Palestinian and Israeli sides on various fronts.

This requires concerted regional and international efforts to urge the conflicting sides to give priority to the path of calm and restraint and to move away from the spiral of violence to spare innocent civilians from the consequences, the ministry added.

He called for concerted efforts of all international actors to achieve the goal as a priority at the current stage.

The top diplomat also stressed the importance of dealing with the Palestinian cause from a comprehensive perspective that addresses the roots of the crisis.

This should ensure the preservation of legitimate Palestinian right, and establishment of a Palestinian state within the June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Since the start of the current conflict, Egypt has been calling for both sides of the conflict to prioritize de-escalation and exercise utmost restraint.

Egypt has also made intensive contacts with international influential parties as well the Palestinian and Israeli sides to contain the situation.

Egypt has warned of the conflict’s consequences on the lives of Palestinian and Israeli civilians and its potential risks on the region’s security and stability.

MENA contributed to the reporting.