Sigrid Kaag, the UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, recently concluded a two-day visit to Egypt. During her visit, she held meetings with distinguished officials, including Sameh Shoukry, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Maait, the Minister of Finance, and Nivine El-Kabbage, the Minister of Social Solidarity.
Shoukry expressed keen interest in gaining insights from the United Nations official about the progress of Security Council resolution 2720. The resolution aims to facilitate aid introduction into the Gaza Strip. The conversation also covered the challenges hindering the UN mechanism from fulfilling its mandate, over two months after the resolution’s approval.
Shoukry emphasized the importance of the Security Council’s humanitarian and legal responsibility to ensure the full implementation of resolution 2720. Israel must be pressured to comply with the provisions of international law and remove any obstacles that hinder the introduction of assistance. This includes facilitating the use of all available roads inside and into the Gaza Strip, including border crossings, and providing more direct access routes for its beneficiaries.
Minister Shoukry and the UN official discussed the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, including starvation, attacks on civilians and aid convoys, and the Israeli blockade.
Shoukry stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation before Ramadan to increase humanitarian aid.
He emphasized that UNRWA’s work is being targeted, and some donors have suspended funding, creating humanitarian risks. The Agency should not be involved in narrow politics, and it needs full funding to provide vital services to Palestinians as mandated by the UN.
The UN official expressed her appreciation for Egypt’s crucial role in promoting calm and reducing the crisis in the sector since the beginning of the crisis. She also thanked Egypt for providing and facilitating humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, including cooperation between the Egyptian Red Crescent and international relief agencies. The UN official stressed their keenness to continue consultation and coordination with Egypt to ensure the implementation of its reasonable tasks, particularly by increasing the enforcement of assistance to the sector.
