Egypt's Foreign Minister meets with WFP executive director to discuss Gaza humanitarian crisis

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with Cindy McCain, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo on Sunday. The meeting addressed the deteriorating conditions in the Gaza Strip and the increasing humanitarian needs of its residents amidst the ongoing conflict.

The Foreign Ministry's spokesperson, Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, highlighted the urgency of providing essential humanitarian assistance that corresponds to the scale of the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza. With the persisting impact of war, it is crucial to ensure the prompt fulfillment of these needs.

During the meeting, Minister Shoukry also emphasized Egypt's dedicated efforts to assist the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. Egypt is actively involved in directly providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians as well as facilitating aid from various governments and donor organizations. The Egyptian leadership is placing the highest priority on addressing the urgent requirements of the Palestinian population amid the current crisis.

Minister Shoukry raised concerns about the logistical challenges imposed by Israeli authorities, including the recurrent shelling of the Palestinian side of the crossing point. These challenges significantly hinder the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and place additional burdens on Egypt.

Ambassador Abu Zeid concluded by noting that Cindy McCain expressed full appreciation for Egypt's role in ensuring the continued access of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. She also expressed her eagerness to sustain cooperation with the Egyptian authorities to execute programs and activities of the World Food Programme in Egypt, aligning with Egypt's vision for achieving food security and sustainable development.