CAIRO/ISTANBUL

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty affirmed Saturday that his country is exerting maximum pressure to end the Israeli onslaught against the Gaza Strip.

“We are pressing with all our strength to end the war on Gaza, and we hope to reach an agreement to stop the bloodshed in Gaza as soon as possible,” Abdelatty said in a news conference in Cairo, alongside Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara, according to Al-Qahera News Channel.

He stressed the “urgent need for unrestricted and full access of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.”

“It is unacceptable to use hunger as a weapon against the Palestinians in Gaza,” the Egyptian minister added.

Tangara said that “the situation in Gaza is extremely dire” due to Israeli aggression.

He praised Cairo’s role and efforts “in promoting stability in the region,” according to the statement.

Israel has kept all border crossings shut since March 2, cutting off the entry of food, medicine, fuel, and other essential supplies for Gaza’s 2.4 million residents.

Tel Aviv has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 54,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine for more than 2 million people who live in the enclave.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.