Israel’s war on Gaza, which is now in its seventh month, has sparked renewed calls for Palestinians to be granted a state of their own.
As many as 137 of the 193 UN members already recognize a Palestinian state. The list includes many countries from the Middle East, Africa, and other regions.
However, the Palestinian state has not yet been recognized by other countries like the US, Canada, most of Western Europe, Australia, Japan or South Korea.
The Arab group at the United Nations is currently pursuing a resolution to upgrade the status of Palestinians from an observer state to a member state.
During their phone call, Shoukry and Barth Eide also discussed the criteria for reviving the peace process and ceasing the ongoing Israeli war in the Gaza Strip, read a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry.
Both ministers stressed the urgency of achieving an immediate and permanent ceasefire and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid “fully, safely, and quickly” to meet the urgent needs in the strip.
The two sides also warned of the risks of any Israeli military operation in the Palestinian city of Rafah.
They emphasized that such a move would exacerbate the already deteriorating situation in Gaza and result in significant loss of life.
In six months, Israel has killed at least 33,175 Palestinians in Gaza and other Palestinian territories, injured 75,886 others and destroyed the strip’s infrastructure.
Israel’s nonstop attacks extended to civilians seeking refuge in UN shelters as well as aid workers, most recently the killing of seven staff from the US-based food charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) in Gaza last week.
Shoukry stressed that Israel must comply with its responsibilities as an occupying power and cease its attacks against Palestinian civilians and international relief personnel in the Gaza Strip.
Egypt’s top diplomat said Israel’s actions violate all provisions of international law and international humanitarian law, according to a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry.
Shoukry also called on Israel to open all land crossings with Gaza, and remove all obstacles to efforts aimed at increasing the flow of aid to the strip, including its northern part.
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