This came during the ministerial meeting on the Palestinian cause and the implementation of the two-state solution held in Madrid, according to a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry.

During the meeting, Abdelatty criticized the reduced rate of humanitarian aid entering Gaza, especially as Israel uses starvation as a weapon against the Palestinians and refuses to open its crossings.

The Egyptian FM also emphasized that Israel's military presence in these areas serves political purposes, that is, preventing the legitimate Palestinian authority from regaining control in Gaza and disrupting mediation efforts conducted by Egypt, Qatar, and the US to reach a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange deal.

Gaza humanitarian catastrophe

During the meeting, Egypt's top diplomat highlighted the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, expressing strong condemnation of Israel's daily violations of international humanitarian law, including attacks on Palestinian civilians.

He stressed the urgency for the international community to intervene to end the hostilities, ensure adherence to international law, and guarantee swift and unimpeded aid delivery into Gaza.

He also reiterated Cairo's commitment to working with international parties to implement a two-state solution, paving the way to establish an independent Palestinian state based on 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Abdelatty hailed the recent recognition of the Palestinian State by Spain, Norway, Ireland, and Slovenia, noting that such recognition is a meaningful contribution to defending the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

He conveyed Egypt's hope that more countries will follow suit, as this recognition is crucial for achieving peace in the Middle East.

Egypt’s top diplomat highlighted that recognizing Palestine and granting it full membership in the UN are essential measures, being equally a right for the Palestinians and an international community's obligation.

Meeting with Spanish officials

According to the Egyptian foreign ministry, Abdelatty held separate meetings with his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to discuss the Gaza crisis.

During the meetings, he commended Spain's stance towards the Palestinian cause.

FM Abdelatty also praised the strong political and economic ties between Egypt and Spain, highlighting the need to boost trade and increase investments in Egypt.

He emphasized leveraging opportunities across different economic sectors in Egypt, such as infrastructure, transportation, water, and renewable and green energy.

The Egyptian FM’s participation comes within Egypt's ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, end the humanitarian catastrophe in the strip, and implement the two-state solution.

The Madrid meeting brings together members of the Arab-Islamic Contact Group for Gaza, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye, and the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell who is also participating in the talks.