Shoukry Calls on Israel to Refrain from Military Action in Rafah

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry called on Israel today, Tuesday, to avoid taking any military actions in Rafah. During a press conference with his Irish counterpart Michael Martin in the New Administrative Capital, he stated that there should be the capability to take deterrent steps against Israel if it invades Rafah. Shoukry expressed that "the global conscience cannot bear the continuation of this killing in Gaza, which has reached 34,000 civilian deaths, 20,000 of whom are women and children," and the ongoing destruction of the sector has rendered it unlivable. He noted that "UNRWA is the only body capable of distributing humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip," adding that "withholding aid from UNRWA has harmed relief operations in the sector." Shoukry urged countries that suspended their contributions to UNRWA to reconsider their decisions, emphasizing the "necessity of taking courageous positions to support the achievement of peace."