Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Monday that Israel obstructed the entry of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, even during the temporary truce period, and that its policies are pushing towards the forced displacement of Palestinians from their lands. He called on the international community to intervene and pressure Israel to stop its violations and agree to a complete and unconditional ceasefire.
Shoukry made these remarks during a meeting with the Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Monday, on the sidelines of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) regional forum hosted by Spain. He also thanked Spain for its supportive stance on the Palestinian cause and its adherence to international principles.
Ahmed Abu Zaid, the spokesperson for the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Shoukry expressed his hope that Spain, as the current president of the European Union (EU), will back the international efforts to ensure full and sustainable humanitarian access to Gaza.
Shoukry also met with the members of the Arab-Islamic Committee, which submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council to address the imbalance in the system of humanitarian aid entry to Gaza. The foreign ministers of the committee praised the positive and balanced Spanish position on the war in Gaza and its dedication to the current session of the UfM regional forum to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip and its surroundings.
The ministers reviewed the Arab-Islamic position per the results of the Riyadh Summit, and the deteriorating and unprecedented humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, which requires serious action from the international community. They stressed their rejection of any attempts to separate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, and the need to engage in a political process based on the two-state solution, which ensures the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
For his part, the Spanish Foreign Minister commended Egypt’s role as a key partner for peace and stability in the Middle East, and its efforts, along with Qatar and the US, to achieve the current temporary truce and the exchange of prisoners and detainees between Israel and Hamas.
He emphasized the urgency of building on the humanitarian truce to reach a lasting and comprehensive ceasefire as soon as possible.
He also said that his country has been urging all parties to stop the violence and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in its various contacts.
“Spain reaffirmed its commitment to international law and international humanitarian law and condemned the unprecedented violations against civilians. It also stressed the importance of finding a political solution to the crisis based on the two-state solution to achieve a final and sustainable resolution of the Palestinian issue,” he added.
Albares also expressed his support for holding an international peace conference at the earliest opportunity to open a new political horizon to achieve this goal.
The foreign ministers agreed to continue their consultation and coordination with Spain to ensure the end of the war on the Gaza Strip and mitigate its humanitarian impact on the Palestinian people, and to revive the peace process on solid grounds to ensure the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
