Humanitarian aid to Gaza must be secured as shipments get looted: Egyptian FM

CAIRO - 2 December 2024: In the press brief held during the Cairo International Conference to Enhance Humanitarian Response in Gaza, Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty underscored Monday the need to secure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the enclave as shipments are being looted. 

The minister noted that the humanitarian crisis is worsening in Gaza Strip due the collective punishment policy adopted by Israel coupled with siege and famine imposed on civilians. 

The Egyptian minister added that humanitarian aid is now highly needed given that the winter season has begun. “We’ll need thousands of trucks to carry aid daily to Gaza” once it’s possible to deliver the sufficient quantities, he added.  

In that context, the foreign minister underlined that Israel must withdraw from the Palestinian side of Rafah Border Crossing, and Philadelphi Corridor, where the Palestinian Authority should take control. 

Minister Abdelatty highlighted that Israeli intransigence would not accomplish peace and security in the Middle East, calling for a full membership of the Palestinian State in the UN General Assembly (UNGA). 

“Both Egypt and Jordan will never accept any kind of displacement of Palestinians from either Gaza or the West Bank….That’s a red line, as that would mean the liquidation of the Palestinian Cause…Palestinians shall have their independent state,” the Egyptian foreign minister stressed. 

In a related context, the minister commended the efforts deployed by the UN leadership and organizations to ease the crisis in Gaza Strip

Deputy UN Secretary-General Amina Mohamed shed light, during the joint press conference, on evictions and house demolitions in the West Bank, and on the destruction of hospitals and schools in Gaza Strip. 

“We need to get aid flowing immediately, eliminating any obstructions,” in addition to empowering the UNRWA to carry out its duties pertinent to fulfilling the needs of Palestinian refugees, the deputy UN Secretary-General stipulated. “International law is in jeopardy,” she said describing the Gaza War. 

“We’re keeping a close eye on what’s happening in Syria as we have been doing with Gaza and Lebanon,” Mohamed stated. 

On his side, the Egyptian foreign minister asserted that, “It’s a must to contain the situation in Syria in order to prevent repercussions on the country’s neighboring states and others in the region.”