Egypt Daily News – Dr. Badr Abdel Ati, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, said today, Monday, that the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip is increasing amid the Israeli escalation in the Strip, in light of the use of starvation as a weapon and the continuous targeting of civilians, stressing the complete rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians.
This came during a joint press conference on the sidelines of the Ministerial Conference in Cairo for the humanitarian response in Gaza.
Abdel Ati added that the Cairo conference on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip aims to consolidate and mobilize international efforts for the early recovery of the Strip and the return of the displaced and added that he participated in the conference alongside the Palestinian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Mustafa, foreign ministers from various continents of the world and representatives of international organizations and bodies.
He pointed out that the focus was on the requirements for early recovery in Gaza to enable the possibility of restoring life in the Strip. Abdel Ati also praised the efforts of the United Nations, especially the Secretary-General, and offered condolences to the employees who were killed in the line of duty.
He called on the Israeli occupation to assume its responsibilities regarding the access of humanitarian aid, and to facilitate its flow through the Rafah port and for the Israeli side to withdraw from the Rafah crossing in favor of the Palestinian Authority, and to withdraw from the Salah al-Din axis, the “Philadelphia axis.”
Abdel Ati called on the participating countries and organizations to mobilize support to secure the required aid for the Gaza Strip, and to work to recognize the Palestinian state and grant it full membership in the United Nations.
He stressed support for the Palestinian National Authority in managing the West Bank, and support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people. He renewed Egypt’s rejection of forced displacement, considering that forced displacement is a red line for Egypt and Jordan.
He continued that the displacement of Palestinians is a red line for Egypt and Jordan, and it is unacceptable for the occupying authority to force Palestinians to be displaced from their homelands. He pointed to the continued Egyptian effort to provide aid to Gaza, stop the bloodshed, and seek a ceasefire, explaining the need for political will from the other party to cease the fire immediately.
He explained that there are consultations on “the next day” and a political road map for Palestine.
Abdel Ati referred to Egypt’s call to ensure Syria’s survival, explaining the existence of extensive communications to achieve this goal, and stressed that Egypt is sparing no effort in working to quickly achieve it.
For her part, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, said: “I value Egypt’s efforts in hosting the conference, and I also value the courageous stances of countries in providing support to Gaza.”
She added that the people of Gaza are suffering from both, noting that 44,000 people were killed, in addition to the siege imposed on the Palestinian people, which caused the disruption of health services and humanitarian aid.
She continued: “I want to talk about the violations committed against the Refugee Relief Organization (UNRWA).” She also pointed out that there is a violation of the sanctity of homes and places of worship, which is a violation of international law.
She explained that UNRWA and its employees are being directly targeted. She called for the necessity of a two-state solution and living side by side in peace.
She explained that the Palestinian people in Gaza are suffering from the depletion of humanitarian aid and the targeting of civilians.
She pointed out that the crisis in Palestine affected the entire region, pointing to what is happening in Lebanon and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza regarding the shortage of medicines and food and said: “We are working with UNRWA to ensure that aid reaches those who deserve it.”
