CAIRO, Sept 21 (MENA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty has underlined the seriousness of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, particularly following the major ground offensive in the enclave and Israel’s continued policy of starvation and genocide in an attempt to implement displacement plans, which Egypt categorically rejects under any pretext.
Abdelatty made the remarks during his meeting on Sunday with Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, in New York.
The foreign minister affirmed Egypt’s support for the activities of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to enhance effective response to crises in the Middle East, particularly in the occupied Palestinian territories, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
He also expressed appreciation for OCHA’s efforts and statements regarding the need to protect Palestinian civilians, respect international humanitarian law, and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid despite Israeli obstacles.
Abdelatty affirmed Egypt’s aspiration for the continuity of OCHA’s efforts to monitor violations in the occupied Palestinian territories, whether in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, and document them in its periodic reports.
In this regard, he offered his condolences over the death of 377 humanitarian workers, most of whom were killed in Gaza in 2024.
The foreign minister highlighted the need to hold accountable those responsible for the killing and destruction perpetrated against the Palestinian people and humanitarian workers, including UN officials.
He also underscored Egypt’s keenness to resume mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and to continue providing humanitarian aid to the enclave, pointing out that Egypt has provided approximately 70% of the total aid sent to Gaza despite Israeli obstacles.
Abdelatty reviewed Egypt’s preparations for hosting an international conference for the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza immediately after a ceasefire is reached, expressing hope for OCHA’s effective participation in the conference.
He also asserted the importance of strengthening OCHA’s presence in Egypt particularly in light of developments in the region, whether in Gaza or Sudan.
Meanwhile, Tom Fletcher commended Egypt’s efforts and tangible contributions to achieving stability in the region, with a goal of containing multiple crises in cooperation with the United Nations and its agencies.
The UN official emphasized his keenness to continue coordination and intensify cooperation with Egypt to alleviate humanitarian suffering and enhance effective responses to various issues. (MENA)
