Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry and Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) during a meeting in Cairo on Thursday, November 23, 2023 (Photo: The Egyptian foreign ministry)
The discussions centred on exploring avenues to bolster UNRWA's activities and operations in the conflict-ridden Gaza Strip.
According to a statement from the Egyptian foreign ministry, the meeting primarily delved into the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
During the meeting, Shoukry briefed Lazzarini on the results of Egypt’s efforts to contain the crisis in Gaza, including the humanitarian truce agreement reached between Israel and Hamas with Egyptian-Qatari-American mediation.
Emphasising the need to capitalise on the truce momentum, Shoukry urged for "a complete and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza at the earliest possible juncture." He asserted that such a ceasefire is crucial to alleviating the dire humanitarian conditions faced by Palestinians in Gaza.
Expressing Egypt's gratitude for UNRWA's pivotal role amid the crisis, Shoukry affirmed the country's commitment to providing all necessary support to enable the agency to fulfil its duties for the Palestinian people.
Simultaneously, Shoukry condemned the Israeli bombing and targeting of civilians, including UNRWA facilities in Gaza, characterising these actions as "a blatant violation of all provisions of international law and international humanitarian law, and a lack of respect for the UN headquarters."
Shoukry also briefed Lazzarini on a draft resolution that Arab and Islamic groups plan to submit to the UN Security Council, addressing issues in the humanitarian assistance delivery process to Gaza.
In response, Lazzarini highlighted the severity of the current catastrophic humanitarian conditions in Gaza and the substantial challenges faced by the agency in regularly carrying out its duties. He expressed appreciation for Egypt's role in reaching the agreement, which aims to increase the volume of humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
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