Egypt hosted on Monday the “Cairo Ministerial Conference to Enhance the Humanitarian Response in Gaza” aimed at securing clear commitments to provide aid to the Palestinian enclave.
The conference was organized by Egypt and the United Nations and attended by delegations from 103 countries and organizations.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said the event also seeks to bolster international aid and ensure sustainable response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. It also aims to plan the early recovery in the enclave.
Palestinian political analyst and Fatah member Dr. Ayman al-Raqab underscored to Asharq Al-Awsat the importance of providing relief aid at this time.
The conference delivered a strong message that there can be no substitute to UNRWA, he added, predicting that financial pledges will meet Gaza’s needs.
Speaking at the conference, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty condemned the ongoing and “unprecedented” Israeli assault on Gaza.
“Israel has been committing atrocities for the whole world to see for over a year,” he added, saying it has used “starvation, siege tactics and displacement as collective punishment against the Palestinians in flagrant violation of international laws.”
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi urged immediate action to aid the people of Gaza. “All forms of pressure are needed to allow the delivery of aid in the enclave,” he stressed.
Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Amina Mohammed said the disaster in Gaza is a “test to humanity” and it must end immediately.
Commissioner-General of UNRWA Philippe Lazzarini warned that the “international humanitarian response in Gaza is today being severely tested.”
The gatherers at the conferences underlined UNRWA’s role in providing aid to the Palestinians and condemned the Israeli Knesset’s recent legislation to end its operations.
Abdelatty stressed that Egypt condemns the “illegal” move, saying it was a “dangerous precedent to ban a UN agency”.
It reflects a dismissal of the international community and its institutions, he remarked, adding that there can be no substitute to UNRWA in Gaza and no other organization can replace it or carry out its work.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa echoed these remarks, saying UNRWA has a pivotal role to play after the war on Gaza is over.
He called for rejecting all Israeli legislations that target the organization.
