The current visit by the envoys of the UN Security Council to the Egyptian northeastern city of El Arish aims to put political pressures on the US for its continued support to the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, said Egypt’s former assistant foreign minister Ambassador Mohamed Hegazy on Tuesday.
He added that the US has vetoed a UN resolution demanding a ceasefire in the enclave, despite invoking Article 99, a rarely used provision of the UN Charter, by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to bring to the attention of the Security Council the hostilities in the Gaza Strip.
Ambassador Hegazy, in exclusive statements to MENA, asserted the significance of the visit by UN Security Council Council’s delegation, which comprises 12 members of the council – including three permanent members (namely China, Russia and the UK).
He added that the mission, which is co-organised by the missions of Egypt and the UAE to the UN, aims to make visits to a number of the wounded Palestinian who are receiving treatment at Arish hospitals.
The UN envoys are due to meet with representatives of the Egyptian Red Crescent, North Sinai governor as well as officials of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Hegazy said.
Also, the envoys will meet Palestinian ministers and officials of the Palestinian Red Crescent to get first hand information about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and probing prospects of creating an immediate mechanism ensuring the delivery of aid, the ambassador noted.
The visit entails checking on the Egyptian side of Rafah border crossing, in order to get acquainted with the ongoing Egyptian efforts towards easing the entry of largest possible amount of assistance to the Gaza Strip as well as the obstacles imposed by the Israeli side in this regard.
It also seeks to establish a mechanism overseen by the UN to overcome systematic hindrances imposed Israel to delay the entry of the relief aid to Gaza permanently.
The visit of the UN Security Council’s envoys deemed “an informal fact-finding mission” meant to stimulate further due attention by the Security Council and its members to situation in Gaza and placing pressure on the US for vetoing the ceasefire in the besieged enclave, Hegazy said.
Egypt, Arab and Muslims countries alongside friendly nations will uphold pressing for a ceasefire through the UN General Assembly, Hegzay said, noting that the Arab and Muslim group will table anew the Arab resolution which was outlined by Egypt and 121 nations have voted in favor of it.
On Monday, envoys of the UN Security Council started a visit to El Arish and Rafah cities in North Sinai governorate to check on the flow of the humanitarian and medical operations meant to support the relief efforts directed to Palestinians in Gaza.
The team will inspect humanitarian efforts and aid provided by the Egyptian Red Crescent as well as medical support offered to the wounded Palestinians.
The UN envoys will stand on obstacles imposed by the Israeli side on the entry of aid trucks and the evacuation of victims via Rafah border crossing.
The visit falls within the framework of the current membership of the UAE at the UN Security Council.
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