Egypt Daily News – The Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Dr. Badr Abdel-Aty, participated in the emergency session of the Security Council held regarding the situation in Palestine last night, Friday.
The Foreign Minister confirmed in his speech that despite all international appeals to Israel to stop the bloodshed, halt the ongoing killings, and target civilians, and despite Egypt’s continuous mediation efforts with Qatar and the United States, as well as numerous Security Council resolutions, the situation in the Gaza Strip has reached a catastrophic humanitarian state.
The occupying forces have persisted in their retaliation against the people of Gaza, using starvation and siege as weapons against the Palestinians, forcing them to flee and be displaced from their homes, occupying the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, and preventing UN agencies and relief organizations from distributing aid within the Strip, leading to an unprecedented humanitarian disaster.
Abdul Aati emphasized Egypt’s complete rejection of targeting civilians, condemning Israel’s continued expansion of the conflict.
He denounced the Israeli aggression against Lebanon, asserting the necessity for the Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities and take the required measures to halt the ongoing war and achieve an immediate, comprehensive, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, thereby preventing the region from slipping into an open regional war.
He pointed out that Israel, the occupying Power, is primarily and directly responsible for the situation in Gaza and the region and is responsible for expanding the conflict, and that, like other countries, it must commit itself to implementing all Security Council and International Court of Justice resolutions issued since the beginning of the crisis, as well as the provisions of international law and international humanitarian law, and that everyone must clearly reject the flimsy justifications for the continuation of the current war, or the hollow claims repeated by the occupying Power about the measures it has taken to mitigate the humanitarian repercussions.
The cessation of the flow of humanitarian aid through the Rafah land crossing is a direct result of Israel’s continued military control over all parts of the Gaza Strip, including the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing and the border with Egypt, and that the continuation of humanitarian action is still possible if Israel shoulders its responsibilities and immediately withdraws from the crossing, hands it over to the Palestinian side and opens all other crossings surrounding Gaza from the Israeli side.
The minister emphasized that Egypt will continue to work tirelessly to stop the war, ensure sustainable access to humanitarian aid for Gaza, and support Palestinian resilience against attempts at displacement.
The Foreign Minister emphasized that the Security Council is capable of making a change on the ground if the intentions are sincere.
In this context, Minister Badr Abdel-Aty presented the role of the council that Egypt looks forward to during this pivotal phase in the history of the Middle East, clarifying that this includes obligating Israel to immediately cease fire in Gaza, halt the deliberate escalation in the region, including in Lebanon, and fully withdraw from the sector, including an immediate withdrawal from the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing and the “Philadelphi” corridor, until the flow of urgent humanitarian aid is resumed, as well as withdrawing from the Palestinian side of all crossings between Gaza and Israel and fully opening them for humanitarian access.
He pointed out that the remaining steps involve implementing the decisions of the International Court of Justice, providing full support to the Palestinian National Authority, and enabling it to fulfill all its duties towards the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, including returning to the crossings, providing essential services, assuming administrative and governance responsibilities, and enforcing the law.
Additionally, the Security Council should welcome the full membership of the State of Palestine in the United Nations, based on the borders of June 4, 1967, including matters related to the Holy Jerusalem, and obligate Israel to end all forms of occupation of the State of Palestine in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
