Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met on Sunday with the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, in New York, where he affirmed Egypt’s support for the U.N. agency’s activities in responding to crises in the Middle East, particularly in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Abdelatty’s meeting with Fletcher, who is also the U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator (OCHA), took place on the sidelines of the 80th session of the U.N. General Assembly.
The minister expressed appreciation for OCHA’s efforts and statements regarding the need to protect Palestinian civilians, respect international humanitarian law, and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid despite Israeli obstacles. He said Egypt looks forward to OCHA continuing to monitor and document violations in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in its periodic reports.
Abdelatty offered his condolences for the deaths of 377 humanitarian workers, most of whom were killed in Gaza in 2024, and stressed the need for accountability for the “killing and destruction” against the Palestinian people and humanitarian workers, including U.N. officials.
The foreign minister reiterated Egypt’s keenness to resume mediation efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza and to continue providing humanitarian aid to the Strip, noting that Egypt has provided 70% of the total aid despite Israeli obstacles. He stressed the gravity of the “catastrophic” humanitarian situation inside the enclave, especially after the wide-scale ground offensive and what he described as Israel’s continued policy of “starvation and extermination” in an effort to implement displacement plans, which Egypt “categorically rejects.”
Abdelatty also reviewed Egypt’s preparations to host an international conference for the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza once a ceasefire is reached. He expressed his hope for OCHA’s active participation and stressed Egypt’s interest in enhancing the U.N. office’s presence in the country to strengthen its role in effectively responding to the successive crises in the region.
For his part, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs praised Egypt’s efforts and its tangible contributions to achieving stability in the region. He affirmed his commitment to continuing coordination and intensifying cooperation with Egypt to alleviate human suffering and enhance effective response in various issues.
