Egyptian FM Talks Gaza Ceasefire With US Envoy, UNRWA Official

Cairo: Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aati held talks on Saturday with US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, which addressed the developments in the Gaza Strip, along with the efforts energized to hammer out a ceasefire and support the Palestinian people.

During a phone call with Witkoff, Abdel Aati stressed that Israel should respond to the proposed deal to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, warning against the rapid deterioration of the calamitous humanitarian situation that has edged toward the threshold of famine in the enclave, as well as the military operations and the use of starvation as a weapon that could become kindling for dire consequences.

• Israel flattens high-rise in Gaza as it tells residents to flee; death toll at 64,368

He apprised Witkoff of Egypt's preparations to host an international conference for early recovery and reconstruction as soon as a ceasefire is announced, based on the Arab-Islamic plan that was settled on at the Arab Summit in Cairo last March, in addition to discussing the updates in the Iranian nuclear file.

In his meeting with Lazzarini, Abdel Aati affirmed that the United Nations General Assembly is solely entitled to determine UNRWA's future, noting the dangerous and unlawful Israeli legislation aimed at ending its operation. He stressed that targeting this agency represents a dangerous precursor that imperils the obligation to international law and erodes confidence in international institutions.

In addition, Abdel Aati expressed pushback against any suggestions that aim to reduce UNRWA's services or transfer them to other entities. He called on the international community to uphold its commitment and back UNRWA's operation politically and financially to enable it to proceed with its role until a just and enduring solution is reached for the Palestinian refugees.

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