Egypt hosts international conference for Gaza, calling for urgent action on humanitarian crisis
This Monday, Egypt organized a conference in Cairo to mobilize humanitarian support for Gaza, where the situation is deteriorating after more than a year of war between Hamas and Israel. The event brought together leading regional and Western officials, as well as UN figures, including Amina J. MohammedDeputy Secretary General of the United Nations.
The situation in Gaza, particularly in its northern areas which have been almost completely isolated for two months, was at the center of the discussions. The Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Ali Attarecalled that the issue of forced displacement of Palestinians is a “red line” for Egypt and Jordan. He claimed : “The Palestinians have their land and their homeland. Neither Egypt nor Jordan will accept displacement in any form, whether from the West Bank or Gaza.”
The conference also highlighted the seriousness of the humanitarian situation. Amina J. Mohammed warned of the multiple crises facing Gaza residents: “They face violence, with more than 44,000 Palestinians killed, mostly women and children, an infrastructure crisis, homes, neighborhoods, hospitals and schools wiped out by fighting, and a displacement crisis .”
Humanitarian support was a central theme of the event. THE World Food Program (WFP) and UNRWAthe main provider of aid to the Palestinians, have highlighted their difficulties in delivering aid due to blockages and threats of violence. This worrying context could further aggravate the crisis, with the arrival of a cold and rainy winter, threatening the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians living in unsanitary tent camps.
The United Nations has reaffirmed its commitment to helping Gaza, but the situation remains extremely complex. The UN recalled that, despite these efforts, less than 10% of humanitarian aid reached the region last November.
As calls for a ceasefire grow, the conference concluded with a call for immediate international action to support Gaza and step up humanitarian aid.
