CAIRO – Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that Cairo Peace Summit that will be held Saturday in response to a call by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi aims at reaching an international consensus, that is based on international law and humanitarian principles, on a Palestinian-Israeli de-escalation and ceasefire and securing the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian relief aid to the Gaza Strip.
His remarks came at a news conference he held jointly Thursday with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the Foreign Ministry premises in Cairo.
The top diplomat told reporters he had a one-on-one meeting with the UN chief which was followed by an expanded session of talks that focused on the unprecedented escalation in the Middle East since October 7 and its far-reaching humanitarian and political consequences for both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples as well as all countries of the region, lauding the international appeal launched by the UN chief for an immediate ceasefire to stem the bloodshed and spare the lives of civilians on the back of the serious dramatic events resulting from the unfolding crisis which saw the loss of the lives of many innocent Palestinians and the destruction of Palestinian homes and hospitals.
Shoukry said that he told the UN chief about Egypt’s conviction of the priority of halting military operations, securing a humanitarian corridor, giving a chance to contain the situation and restoring calm in the region.
“That’s why President Abdel Fattah El Sisi called for holding Cairo Peace Summit, due on Saturday, to reach an international agreement that complies with the international and humanitarian principles to reduce escalations and reach a ceasefire with an affirmation on the importance of allowing access to humanitarian aid to Gaza Strip” Shoukry added according to MENA.
The Egyptian top diplomat praised the efforts exerted by the UN in a bid to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, noting that he is joining hands with Guterres that targeting the UN premises and humanitarian workers constituted a flagrant violation of the international humanitarian law and should be immediately halted to allow urgent access of humanitarian needs to the enclave.
Shoukry also asserted Egypt’s keenness on continuing the operation of Rafah crossing along with garnering up all potentials of Arish Airport to receive aid heading for Gaza, noting that Egypt, despiting the shelling of the Palestinian side of the crossing, has been strenuously working on reoperating it to pave the way for the accumulated assistance on the Egyptian side to go to the strip permanently and without any interruption.
He also said that Egypt has recurrently warned against the consequences of the violent practices of Israel against the Palestinian people and the absence of any political horizon to settle the conflict along with full negligence to the international legitimacy resolutions.
This has led to today’s situation in every circle of escalation and flare-up of tensions, said the diplomat, affirming that there is no other alternative except bringing the parties to the negotiations table to activate the two-state solution and establish an independent Palestinian state on the borders of June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
