CAIRO, 3rd May, 2025 (WAM) - Egypt reiterated its strong condemnation of repeated Israeli violations in Gaza and Syria, holding Israel responsible for the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip as a result of blocking aid for more than two months and using starvation as a form of collective punishment.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigration Badr Abdelatty condemned during a meeting on Saturday with the heads of United Nations regional offices in Cairo the Israeli policies that aim to undermine the humanitarian situation in Gaza by deliberately preventing humanitarian aid from entering the region for more than two months and using starvation as a systematic policy and tool for collective punishment.

Abdelatty also expressed Egypt's deep appreciation for the wise leadership of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, highlighting Egypt's recognition of Guterres' support for the Arab-Islamic plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, which includes urgent humanitarian relief measures, early recovery, and reconstruction while ensuring the presence of Palestinians in their land.

He referred to ongoing consultations between Egypt and the United Nations to prepare for an international conference to support this plan.

He reiterated Egypt's firm position that the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is indispensable and irreplaceable under current circumstances.

On Syria, he also condemned the Israeli airstrike on the area adjacent to the presidential palace in Damascus, in a further violation of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, warning of the serious risks posed by Israeli policies in the region, which are exacerbating the regional situation.