Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Thursday appealed for an urgent increase in the amount of humanitarian aid going into the besieged Gaza Strip through land crossings.
He said people in the devastated territory cannot wait until a US planned temporary port to be built for sea shipments.
Shoukry spoke during a joint press conference with his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares in Cairo.
US military representatives were expected in Israel this week to further coordinate a planned US floating pier that will be built off the coast of Gaza.
The United States and other countries have also been airdropping food into northern Gaza in recent weeks to help alleviate the crisis.
But aid groups said air drops and bringing sea shipments are far less efficient and effective than bringing in food by land routes, which Israel has severely restricted.
Shoukry said the sea port is “expected to be completed in two months.”
"What shall we do during those two months? Shall more children continue to die until this port is constructed?” he asked.
President Joe Biden ordered the US military last week to set up a temporary port off the coast of Gaza to carve out a sea route for food and other aid. Pentagon has said the construction of a massive floating pier will take weeks and require as many as 1,000 US troops.
“We should be realistic in dealing with the situation and we cannot afford any delay,” said Shourky. “What we have at our disposal now are land crossings.”
