Egypt FM, Qatar int'l cooperation minister stress imperative of 'immediate, unconditional' ceasefire in Gaza

Ahram Online , Sunday 19 Nov 2023

Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry and Qatari Minister of State for International Cooperation Lolwah Al-Khater affirmed the imperative of "an immediate, unconditional ceasefire in Gaza," urging the international community to fulfil its responsibilities in halting Israeli violations against civilians and civilian structures, contravening both international law and humanitarian law.


Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry receives Qatari Minister of State for International Cooperation Lolwah Al-Khater in Cairo, 19 November 2023, (Photo: The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

 

Both ministers stressed, in a meeting in Cairo on Sunday, the necessity of holding perpetrators of such violations accountable and emphasized Israel's compliance with its obligations as the occupying power, according to a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu-Zeid.

Shoukry emphasized that the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip requires a complete, safe, and sustainable entry of aid.

Furthermore, he expressed Egypt's appreciation for the efforts undertaken by Qatar to resolve the conflict in Gaza, reach a ceasefire, and send humanitarian aid to the besieged strip, in line with the existing coordination between both countries in this regard.

According to Abu-Zeid, both ministers discussed the joint efforts to enhance the delivery of humanitarian and relief aid to the Palestinian people.

Meanwhile, Al-Khater stressed Qatar’s keenness to coordinate with Egypt towards stopping the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and the necessity of urgent access for humanitarian aid to the strip.

Al-Khater's meeting with Shoukry came as part of her visit to Egypt to deliver Qatari aid to the Gaza Strip at Al-Arish airport and Rafah border crossing.

She also affirmed Qatar's complete rejection of the displacement of Palestinians whether inside or outside the strip.

Al-Khater expressed Qatar's readiness to coordinate closely with Egypt for implementing Riyadh’s recent Arab-Islamic Summit resolution and the Qatari foreign minister's keenness to join his fellow foreign ministers of the committee formed at the summit to initiate an immediate international action to halt the war in Gaza.

Shoukry is set to embark Sunday on a ministerial tour with Arab and Muslim counterparts to the capitals of a number of permanent member states of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), to advance efforts toward halting the ongoing war in Gaza and tackle the deteriorating humanitarian conditions there.

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