During a press conference with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri praised the calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and for allowing aid to reach the residents of the area. Shukri emphasized that Egypt is intensifying its communications to stop the military confrontations in Gaza, stressing the necessity of an immediate halt to the violence and a return to a calming process. He clarified that Egypt rejects the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. He noted that "Al-Arish Airport is receiving thousands of aid shipments, and Egypt is working to bring in assistance as quickly as possible."
In a press conference in Cairo, the UN Secretary-General stated that he is visiting the Middle East on a humanitarian mission while the region is facing a crisis of unprecedented depth in decades. Guterres added that "the crisis began with the horrific attacks launched by Hamas, resulting in the killing, injury, and abduction of many civilians from Israel and other countries around the world. This has led Israel to impose a complete blockade on Gaza and carry out continuous bombing campaigns that have had significant impacts on civilians, the vast majority of whom are women and children, as well as journalists, relief workers, and UN staff."
He emphasized the necessity of respecting international humanitarian law and protecting civilians, as well as prohibiting attacks on hospitals, schools, or UN facilities under international law. Antonio Guterres called for "two humanitarian actions to be taken immediately: first, Hamas must release all hostages immediately and unconditionally; and second, Israel must ensure that humanitarian aid reaches Gaza immediately and without obstruction to meet the needs of the population."
He stated, "The Palestinians have legitimate and deep grievances after 56 years of occupation, but despite the seriousness of these grievances, they do not justify terrorist attacks. And while the horror of these attacks is undeniable, it cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people."
