Shoukry met in Cairo with the UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza Sigrid Kaag on Monday, where they discussed the deteriorating humanitarian conditions across Gaza, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The two officials discussed Israel’s blockage and attacks on civilians and humanitarian aid convoys, which have created starvation conditions across the strip.

Shoukry affirmed the need to increase humanitarian and relief aid deliveries to levels that would sufficient to meet the needs of Gazans.

Furthermore, Shoukry highlighted the humanitarian implications arising from “systematic” attempts to target the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the statement read.

The foreign minister also mentioned the suspension of funding by some donors to UNRWA amidst this humanitarian crisis, urging them to reconsider their actions and not involve the agency in narrow political considerations. 

He stressed the importance of fully resuming funding for the agency to enable it to carry out its essential tasks in providing indispensable services to Palestinians as mandated by the United Nations.

Kaag commended Egypt’s pivotal efforts to achieve calm in Gaza, curb the exacerbating crisis, and provide and deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

She expressed her commitment to coordinate with Egypt to boost aid deliveries.

Egypt has been engaged in active negotiations with the United States, Qatar, and Israel in a bid to reach a ceasefire ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan.

The mediators have made “significant progress” towards a ceasefire during the current round of talks in Cairo, according to Egypt’s Al Qahera News on Monday.

Meanwhile, Egypt has utilized ground and air means to deliver tens of tons of aid to Gaza, including aid coming from local institutions and NGOs as well as other world countries and international relief organizations.