Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry denounced Israel's atrocities against the people of Gaza, saying: "We question the right that allows Israel to indiscriminately target both armed enemies and unarmed civilians who are trapped in this part of their land, and to impose a blockade on 2.4 million people who face annihilation and forced displacement." The foreign minister spoke to the Security Council, saying that the situation breaks our hearts, as the children who lost their lives or their families are innocent victims. Shoukry said that Egypt has condemned the targeting of any civilians by any party that does not tolerate the use of unarmed civilians as bargaining chips or hostages, and demands their release. He said that human rights are universal and not selective and that blaming each other while killing and destruction continue is futile. He said that the current crisis is not a sudden eruption, but a result of long-standing policies that aim to prolong the illegal occupation. He called for an immediate unconditional ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, saying that the Palestinian people would remain steadfast on their land. He also called for resolving the Palestinian issue, not liquidating it through forced displacement, and for reviving the peace process based on the resolutions of international legitimacy. He warned of the consequences of international silence and inaction towards the current crisis, saying that the solution is not to displace the Palestinians to other areas. He said that Egypt has repeatedly warned against the continuation of occupation policies. The foreign minister said that the current situation is a result of practices that aim to perpetuate the occupation and that the people of the Gaza Strip are living in dire human conditions. He said that what is happening is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and that humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip must be ensured, and international protection must be provided to the defenseless Palestinian people.
