Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty has stressed Egypt's priority of securing an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and ensuring the entry of humanitarian aid, amid what he described as a catastrophic humanitarian situation caused by Israeli intransigence and the complete blockade on aid since March. During his meeting with European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič in Brussels on Thursday, Abdel-Aty underlined the vital role of the UN agency UNRWA and other humanitarian organisations in delivering essential aid, shelter and medical support to Palestinians in Gaza, while providing necessary protection to civilians. He reaffirmed Egypt's outright rejection of Israel's policies, including the use of starvation and collective punishment as tools against the Palestinian people. The foreign minister also outlined Egypt's efforts to host an international conference on early recovery and reconstruction in the coming period, expressing Egypt's desire to continue coordination with the European Union and international donors to play a central role in the event. The two sides also discussed the humanitarian situation in Sudan, with Abdel-Aty stressing the importance of increasing humanitarian support for the Sudanese people. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
