French FM in Egypt for Talks Over Gaza War
(AWP) - Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Monday said the Israeli government has not so far taken a stance allowing the opening of Rafah crossing on the Gaza side for the entry or exit of aid or citizens from third countries.
“Egypt is ready to send relief material to Gaza and the exit of citizens from third countries and the normal work of Rafah crossing,” said Shoukry in a press conference with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna after their meeting in Cairo.
Shoukry expressed hope a “breakthrough” would take place in this regard.
“The matter is serious in Gaza as the Palestinian people are in bad need of water, food, medicine or shelters for the people who were forced to displace,” the Egyptian minister warned.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and the French foreign minister had earlier in the day co-stressed the need to work on preventing a larger scope of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The Egyptian presidency said the two sides agreed on “the seriousness of the current situation and the risk it is posing to the security and stability of the region as well as the necessary endeavors to prevent further deterioration of the dispute, the protection of civilians, avoiding targeting them and respect for the international humanitarian law.”
Sisi emphasized the need for de-escalation and voiced rejection of “having civilians subject to collective punishment policies of siege, starvation or displacement.”
Referring to aggravating humanitarian conditions in Gaza Strip, he affirmed that “this requires the international community to shoulder its responsibilities by making available urgent humanitarian and relief responses to the people of the strip and easing their suffering.”