Intl. community to bear moral obligation in case of UNRWA's absence from Gaza: Egyptian FM

CAIRO – 18 March 2024: In a joint press conference with Commissioner General of the UNRWA Philippe Lazzarini, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shokry stressed that the international community would have to bear the moral obligation in case of the organization's absence from Gaza Strip.

Minister Shokry stressed Egypt's backing to UNRWA's operation in the enclave as well as the necessity of eliminating the obstructions set by Israel to cripple the delivery of aid to Palestinians within its famine and collective punishment policy.

Over Israeli allegations that 11 out of 13,000 employees at the agency's in Gaza were part of the October 7 Attack, the United States, Britain, Germany, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, Australia and Canada suspended in January funding to the organization that provides basic services to millions of Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.