Egypt warns of ‘unprecedented’ humanitarian repercussions due to Israeli ground operation in Gaza

CAIRO – 28 October 2023: Egypt has warned of “grave dangers and unprecedented humanitarian and security repercussions” that will be caused by the Israeli large-scale ground attack in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday, Egypt expressed deep concerns over the potential serious implications of the ground military operation in the strip as it is expected to kill and injure more children, women and unarmed civilians.

“This constitutes a new flagrant violation of the international law and the international humanitarian law amidst a state of complete inability for the international community to put an end to these violations and stop the bloodshed in the strip,” the ministry stressed.

Meanwhile, Egypt held the Israeli government responsible for violating the UN General Assembly’s resolution approved on Friday, which called for an immediate ceasefire and enforcement of a humanitarian truce.

Such truce would protect the lives of civilians and allow the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid to the strip immediately.

Egypt reiterated its call for the Israeli side to facilitate procedures of safe, complete and sustainable access for humanitarian and relief aid to the Gaza Strip.

Egypt warned that failure to immediately accept calls for humanitarian truce in Gaza and facilitate the access of aid to the strip will lead to an “inevitable humanitarian catastrophe and destabilization of regional security in a way that threaten the region’s stability.”

On Friday, Gaza saw the heaviest bombardment since the start of the Israeli war on the strip on 7 October, accordint to Palestinian reports, with the Israeli army saying that its "ground forces are expanding" their operations in the Gaza Strip.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi affirmed last week the importance of working to prevent an Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, saying it would “claim scores of civilian lives.”

Egypt has called for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian truce in Gaza as more than 7,000 people were killed, thousands more were injured and around 1.4 million were displaced.

Egypt has also worked to deliver the humanitarian aid coming from world countries and local and international organizations through the Rafah border crossing to Gaza.

Since last Saturday, the Gaza Strip has received a total of 84 humanitarian aid trucks, while the UN says at least 100 humanitarian aid trucks are needed in the enclave per day.