Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri emphasised the priority of reaching a permanent ceasefire to protect the lives of Palestinian civilians, stressing the need for the UN Security Council to ensure the immediate implementation of Resolution 2728 and to build upon it to achieve permanent ceasefire beyond Ramadan, as well as to ensure the full entry of humanitarian aid to meet the urgent needs of Palestinians in Gaza.
The foreign minister’s remarks came as he received yesterday UK Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and United Nations Tariq Ahmad.
Minister Shoukri and the British Minister of State held extensive discussion on the crisis in Gaza and the consultations between the two countries to halt the ongoing war and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the Strip and prevent its disastrous repercussions.
The two ministers also discussed international efforts to enhance access to humanitarian aid through all land routes, airdrops, and the maritime corridor initiative, as well as joint efforts to increase the flow of aid to the Gaza Strip.
Foreign Minister Shoukri reiterated the necessity for international parties to fulfill their legal and humanitarian responsibilities towards the full implementation of the provisions of Resolution 2720 and the activation of the UN mechanism to coordinate and monitor the entry of aid.
He also stressed the need to pressure Israel to open all land crossings with the enclave as the most effective means to ensure sufficient aid delivery to all areas, including northern Gaza.
The discussions also extended to include current tensions in the region in light of the crisis in Gaza, including threats to maritime navigation in the Red Sea and on the Lebanese scene. Both sides emphasised the need for concerted international efforts to contain and prevent the expansion of violence to other parts of the region to maintain international peace and security.
The discussions also covered a number of regional issues, where the British Minister listened to Minister Shoukri’s assessments of the situation in Sudan and Egyptian efforts to end the conflict. The two minister also reviewed the situation in Libya and Yemen.
Foreign Minister Shoukri expressed Egypt’s appreciation for the joint cooperation with the United Kingdom to enhance the flow of aid to Gaza as an important partner supporting stability and security in the region. The British minister praised Egypt’s pivotal role since the beginning of the crisis in reaching a ceasefire and ensuring the delivery of aid to the Strip through the Rafah crossing, as well as receiving the wounded Palestinians for treatment in Egyptian hospitals, exchanging prisoners and detainees, and evacuating foreign nationals from the enclave.
The two ministers underscored the importance of finding a suitable political horizon to deal with the Palestinian issue based on a two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy, where Minister Shoukry reiterated the necessity for international parties to adopt a different approach than before in dealing with the future of the Palestinian issue, coupled with serious action towards recognising the Palestinian state and approving its full membership within the United Nations.
