Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry discussed on Saturday 20/01/2024 with his Italian and Norwegian counterparts the dire humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip and the ongoing efforts to de-escalate the situation and contain regional conflict expansion.
During a phone call with the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, both ministers reviewed the latest regional developments, especially with the commencement of the Italian presidency of the G7 group and ahead of Tajani’s upcoming visit to the region.
They also addressed various issues, particularly the deteriorating humanitarian and security conditions in the strip, where Tajani expressed Italy’s appreciation to Egypt for its pivotal role in facilitating the delivery of Italian humanitarian aid to Gaza.
From his side, Shoukry emphasized that reaching a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire in Gaza remains the only solution to end the crisis and de-escalate the violence in the region.
He also stressed the need for key international
players, such as the G7 group, to assume their political and moral responsibilities in pushing towards a ceasefire, aligning with the UN General Assembly’s resolution, to enable the full entry of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and halt any Israeli attempts to displace Palestinians out of their lands.
Moreover, the call touched on the developments in Lebanon and the navigation security in the Red Sea, where they agreed on the importance of intensifying regional and international efforts to prevent the conflict from expanding.
In another phone call, Shoukry and his Norwegian counterpart Espen Barth Eide discussed the efforts aimed at fully implementing the UN Security Council Resolution 2720, regarding facilitating, coordinating, and monitoring the process of delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
The call touched on the work of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) to coordinate international aid provided to the Palestinian people, where they agreed to intensify coordination and cooperation betwe
en Egypt and Norway to mobilize more international humanitarian support for the strip.
On the 106th day of the Israeli war on Gaza, Israel’s relentless attacks have left more than 24,000 deaths and over 60,000 injuries, most of whom are women and children.
Source: State Information Service Egypt