CAIRO – 21 August 2024: Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have underscored the necessity of promptly reaching an immediate ceasefire deal in Gaza, during a phone conversation on Wednesday.
They underlined the need to reach a ceasefire deal in the crisis-battered enclave, which would also facilitate humanitarian aid access and the exchange of prisoners and detainees.
Abdelatty and Guterres highlighted the critical importance of ending the war in Gaza swiftly to mitigate escalation throughout the region.
Guterres commended Egypt's unwavering efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and reiterated the UN's unwavering support for these initiatives, which aim to alleviate the profound humanitarian suffering faced by the Palestinian people.
Abdelatty briefed Guterres on Egypt's initiatives to de-escalate the perilous situation in the area and prevent the conflict from spreading, posing a threat to the stability and security of the population.
The foreign minister highlighted the urgent mediation efforts involving Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to bring an immediate halt to the hostilities.
He also cautioned against the provocative actions of Israel, such as political assassinations and violations of sovereign territories, which further fuel the conflict and unrest across the entire region.
Abdelatty applauded the UN chief for his bold and genuine positions on a range of global issues throughout his tenure, particularly regarding the Gaza crisis. He affirmed that these stances align with the UN Charter and uphold the principles and regulations of international law.
Guterres extended his regards to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, praising his prominent endeavors to bolster stability, peace, and conflict resolution within the region.
This week, Cairo is scheduled to host a fresh round of talks for a Gaza ceasefire, convening top negotiators from Egypt, Qatar, the US, and Israel in a bid to bring an end to over 10 months of war since October 7.
Last week in Doha, mediators from the United States submitted an Egyptian-Qatari backed proposal aimed at bridging remaining gaps between Israel and Hamas, with ongoing technical work to refine implementation details, focusing on humanitarian provisions, captive releases, and prisoner-related specifics.
Israel has increased its demands for a ceasefire, threatening to disrupt potential agreements by insisting on maintaining a military presence in the Philadelphi corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border and the Netzarim corridor dividing northern Gaza from the south.
Egypt has consistently insisted on a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphi corridor.
Coordination with Israel for aid delivery via the Rafah crossing has been rebuffed by Egypt since Israeli forces assumed control over the Palestinian side of the crossing on May 7, resulting in aid blockades.
According to the Gaza health ministry on Tuesday, Israeli strikes since October 7 have killed 40,173 individuals and injured 92,857. Moreover, the war has displaced the majority of Gaza's 2.2 million residents and pushed the enclave toward a looming threat of famine.
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