Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has called for “sustained and unhindered” humanitarian access to Gaza and the launch of early recovery efforts to help restore livelihoods for Palestinians.
Abdelatty made the remarks on Thursday during a ministerial roundtable on humanitarian access and healthcare in Gaza, held in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
The meeting was hosted by the UK in partnership with Jordan and Qatar. It was chaired by UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and a Qatari representative.
Abdelatty outlined Egypt’s humanitarian efforts to support Palestinians and its ongoing contacts with relevant parties aimed at improving conditions in Gaza.
He stressed the importance of preserving the territorial unity of the Palestinian territories and maintaining geographic and political contiguity between Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
Abdelatty also called for support for Palestinian institutions and said UN agencies, particularly the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), should retain a central role.
“Such efforts would strengthen the resilience of Palestinians on their land and pave the way for early recovery and reconstruction as part of a credible political process leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state,” he said.
Calls for increased humanitarian access
Participants discussed the humanitarian and health situation in Gaza and ways to turn international commitments into practical measures to improve living conditions.
They also discussed completing the requirements of the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan and moving to its second phase while ensuring that all parties fulfil their commitments and consolidate the ceasefire.
The meeting stressed the need for safe, full, sustained and unhindered access for humanitarian and medical aid, as well as medical evacuations for patients and wounded people.
Participants also called for the entry of medicines, medical supplies and equipment needed to keep hospitals and other vital facilities operating, while discussing preparations to meet Gaza’s humanitarian needs as winter approaches.
The talks come as Gaza faces a severe humanitarian crisis amid Israel’s genocidal war on the enclave since October 2023, which has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and wounded 174,000, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Around 90 percent of the enclave’s infrastructure has been destroyed.
