This announcement was made during his speech at the Cairo Ministerial Conference to Enhance the Humanitarian Response in Gaza.

Barrot emphasized that Israel must allow the delivery of aid to Gaza and ensure the opening of all crossings.

He reiterated that the two-state solution is the only path to achieving peace and security in the region.

Barrot called for a political vision that guarantees coexistence and meets the aspirations of the Palestinian people.

Cairo conference gathered foreign ministers from 17 countries and high-ranking representatives of international organizations to address the urgent crisis in Gaza as millions face severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies amid the continued brutal Israeli war.

France's Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot attends a humanitarian conference for Gaza in Cairo. AFP

Foreign ministers from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon, Tunisia, Palestine, France, Italy, and Brazil were among the attendees.

Kuwait's Foreign Minister Abdullah al-Yahya speaks during a humanitarian conference for Gaza in Cairo. AFP

The conference also included deputy ministers, ambassadors, and delegates from financial institutions and international organizations, as well as Philippe Lazzarini, secretary-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa called for international action to alleviate Gaza’s suffering and stressed the need for a solution that includes the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa speaks during a humanitarian conference for Gaza in Cairo. AFP

While praising Egypt’s efforts in organizing the Cairo Ministerial Conference, he called on the global community to go beyond material support and take political responsibility.

Mustafa condemned Israel’s persistent disregard for international law and UN resolutions, stating that the time has come to address its defiance.

He urged international entities to implement serious steps respecting Palestinian rights, independence, and freedom, which are essential to achieving peace in the region.

Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi said that the situation in Gaza is worsening due to starvation and ongoing acts of violence, highlighting that his country launched the largest air operation to deliver aid to Gaza.

In addition, he outlined a plan to enhance assistance to Gaza through the daily delivery of 250 trucks.

Safadi stressed the importance of establishing standards and enabling the UN to facilitate aid delivery.

He emphasized that resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is crucial for regional stability and peace, reaffirming that implementing the two-state solution is essential to ending the current crisis.

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal bin Farhan emphasized during his speech at the conference that the worsening humanitarian suffering in Gaza cannot be accepted.

Saudi's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud attends a humanitarian conference for Gaza in Cairo. AFP

Minister bin Farhan called for the immediate implementation of a ceasefire.

He further highlighted that Gaza is facing genocide and stressed the urgent need to end the suffering of the Palestinian population.

The top Saudi diplomat warned that the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements poses a serious threat to the two-state solution and reaffirmed that recognizing the Palestinian state is an inherent right of the Palestinian people.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein highlighted the urgency of breaking the siege imposed on Gaza, noting that the Palestinian people have suffered for over a year due to its devastating effects.

He called for an end to the famine caused by Israeli occupation forces and condemned the killing of women, children, and the elderly.

In his speech at the Conference, Hussein stressed the importance of addressing Israeli aggression and protecting civilians from the humanitarian catastrophe they face.

He criticized the complete Israeli blockade on Gaza, stating that using starvation as a weapon has led to a tragic famine.

Hussein reaffirmed Iraq's unwavering and principled stance on the Palestinian cause.

He emphasized the necessity of granting Palestinians their legitimate rights, including self-determination, independence, sovereignty, and the right of refugees to return to their homeland.

Executive Director of the Egyptian Red Crescent, Amal Imam, emphasized at the conference that providing the necessary protection for Palestinians in Gaza is essential to ending the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in the region.

She highlighted that approximately 50,000 volunteers are working to ensure the delivery of basic necessities to Palestinians in Gaza.

Imam also stressed the importance of collaborating with all parties, especially the Palestinian Red Crescent, to enhance the humanitarian response in Gaza.

She noted that efforts are focused on providing support for the people of Gaza and the injured, including healthcare under the supervision of Egypt’s Ministry of Health.

Additionally, she underscored the need to align efforts with long-term recovery strategies to reinforce immediate relief efforts in Gaza and ensure the flow of aid into Gaza, guaranteeing sufficient and sustainable support for the Palestinian people.

Sigrid Kaag, the UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, said that she had visited Gaza in different capacities for over thirty years, yet nothing prepared her for what she saw on her latest visit.

UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza (SHRC) Sigird Kaag speaks during a humanitarian conference for Gaza in Cairo. AFP

“Nothing prepares you as a fellow human being to the toll, the trauma, the suffering, the loss and the sense of abandonment Palestinian civilians feel,” Kaag said.

She added that the Palestinian civilians were abandoned by the international community despite the efforts.

Kaag reemphasized the words spoken by UN officials and the Minister of Foreign Affairs about UNRWA's undisputable, mandated role.

“There is no humanitarian assistance, delivery, let alone the provision of assistance, from education to health and social services, without UNRWA.”

She stressed that UNRWA was part of the fabric of the Palestinian society in Gaza.

“UNRWA is undisputed, indispensable and is part of the future.” She said.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira praised Egypt for organizing the Ministerial Conference to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

He underlined that delivering humanitarian aid is a binding international obligation and commended Egypt’s efforts to promote a ceasefire and facilitate aid delivery.

Vieira expressed grave concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, describing it as beyond catastrophic and potentially amounting to genocide, per the International Criminal Court's standards.

He criticized the escalation of violence, stating that it has transformed from self-defence into retribution, disproportionately harming children, women, and the broader Palestinian population.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini highlighted the heavy toll the agency has borne during the Gaza conflict, with numerous staff members losing their lives.

UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini attends a humanitarian conference for Gaza in Cairo. AFP

Lazzarini stressed that humanitarian aid efforts can only succeed when workers are provided with legal protection and safe conditions to perform their duties, despite their bravery.

Ensuring secure and effective operations is essential to sustaining humanitarian assistance, he added.

Lazzarini described the dire situation in Gaza as a "nightmare," with over 45,000 deaths, 70 percent of whom are women and children.

Thousands remain trapped under rubble, while others face death from starvation and disease, he highlighted.

Lazzarini  called for a large-scale humanitarian response to address these catastrophic conditions.

He emphasized UNRWA's central role in Gaza due to its robust infrastructure and its 75-year history of providing essential services like education and healthcare to Palestinian refugees across the region.

The agency's educational program in Gaza has been its largest, with over 300,000 Palestinian children graduating from its schools.

Lazzarini reaffirmed UNRWA's pivotal position in any humanitarian response for Gaza.

He also highlighted the agency’s extensive work with Palestinian refugee communities, including providing vaccinations and immunizations.

He emphasized UNRWA’s critical role in preserving Palestinian identity beyond its humanitarian efforts.

Since its establishment, UNRWA has maintained and updated refugee civil records, encompassing 30 million documents spanning more than 30 generations, including records of family formations and displacements since 1948.

He noted the successful digitization of these civil records, ensuring their accessibility and long-term preservation.

The UNRWA chief emphasized that the agency provides essential services to an entire population, including 60,000 medical consultations daily—equivalent to half a million monthly consultations.

He stressed that no other organization could deliver services at such a scale.

Lazzarini highlighted the dual importance of emergency humanitarian responses and a political solution for Gaza.

He urged participants to leverage all political mechanisms to counter attempts to delegitimize UNRWA’s operations in Gaza, implement an immediate ceasefire, and provide political and financial support.

He advocated for an international coalition to advance the two-state solution, creating a political pathway to resolve the Palestinian issue while underscoring UNRWA’s irreplaceable role in supporting thousands and millions of Palestinians.