A statement by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs hailed the UNSC’s resolution, adopted on Wednesday, as "a first and important step" towards achieving a complete ceasefire. 

Egypt stressed the necessity of implementing what is stipulated in the resolution, namely the demand to establish urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors for a sufficient number of days to ensure the delivery of humanitarian and relief aid to the people of the Gaza Strip.

According to the statement, Cairo emphasised the necessity of refraining from the policy of depriving the population of essential services and respecting the rules of international law and international humanitarian law regarding the provision of protection for civilians.

The Ministry also affirmed the necessity for the Security Council to assume its responsibility in ensuring the immediate and adequate implementation of the provisions of this resolution.

Late Thursday, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry held a briefing session with foreign media correspondents on the situation in Gaza and Egypt's efforts to contain the unfolding crisis.

According to the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Abu Zeid, Shoukry also highlighted the country’s positions concerning the different dimensions of the crisis.

During the session, Shoukry stressed that Egypt's position has always been fully clear: condemning the targeting of civilians, achieving a complete ceasefire, ensuring unimpeded aid delivery, and emphasising that Israel must refrain from international law violations and military operations.

"We must not focus on post-conflict but on ending the current crisis and tackling it appropriately in international fora," Shoukry said, replying to a question on the post-war scenario.

The Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs described the UNSC's resolution as "a good development in principle but not sufficient though."

He added that international parties and organisations must uphold their responsibilities.

"We would like further progressive steps by international parties, including the US, to reach a complete ceasefire."

The UN Security Council called Wednesday for extended humanitarian pauses in the Gaza Strip. This is the first time the Council has broken its silence since the start of  Israel's war on Gaza on 7 October.

The resolution, prepared by Malta and adopted with 12 votes in favour, called for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip for enough days to allow aid to reach civilians in the besieged territory.