Activities of Secretary-General in Egypt, 19-22 October
The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, arrived in Cairo from China early on Thursday morning, 19 October, as part of a humanitarian mission at a moment of profound crisis in the Middle East region.
He was briefed on the latest humanitarian situation by senior UN officials in the region.
He then met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
In remarks to the press after the meeting, the Secretary-General reiterated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. “In plain terms, that means humanitarians need to be able to get the aid in — and they need to be able to distribute it safely,” he said.
“For nearly two weeks, the people of Gaza have gone without any shipments of fuel, food, water, medicine and other essentials,” Mr. Guterres said. “All these things are needed at scale and in a sustainable manner.”
The Secretary-General said that through its actions and its openness, Egypt showed itself as a pillar of multilateral cooperation — and a linchpin in helping to defuse tensions and ease colossal human pain and suffering.
In closing, he added that “we know the longer this goes on, the greater the risk of the violence spilling over.” The Foreign Minister also hosted a dinner for the Secretary-General and his delegation.
The Secretary-General spent most of Friday in northern Sinai.
Early in the day, he flew to El-Arish airport, the main air hub for Gaza-bound humanitarian aid arriving by air from a number of countries. He was greeted by North Sinai Governor, Major General Mohamed Abdel-Fadel Shousha, and Major General Mohamed Rabie, Commander of the Second Field Army.
At the airport, the Secretary-General boarded a 747 cargo which had just landed from the United Arab Emirates.
The plane ferried pallets with some 65 metric tons of humanitarian supplies, including food donated to the World Food Programme (WFP) by the United Arab Emirates, tarpaulins from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and trauma emergency kits provided by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Accompanied by local senior Egyptian officials, the Secretary-General drove to Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing. On his way, he witnessed some the hundreds of trucks — loaded with humanitarian cargo — that were waiting to enter Gaza.
Speaking to the press, he said it was impossible to be in Rafah and not to feel a broken heart.
“Behind these walls”, Guterres said, “we have 2 million people who are suffering enormously — that have no water, no food, no medicine, no fuel, that is under fire, that needs everything to survive and, on this side, we have seen so many trucks loaded with water, with fuel, with medicines, with food. Exactly the same things that are needed on the other side of the wall.”
He told the journalists that the United Nations was actively engaging with all the parties — with Egypt, with Israel, with the United States — in order to make sure that we are able to clear up the many issues that remain in place and to have as soon as possible these trucks moving to where they are needed, in a sustained effort.
He also reiterated his appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire, though such a ceasefire should not be a precondition for humanitarian delivery.
The Secretary-General also had the opportunity to speak to some of the volunteers of the Egyptian Red Crescent Society. He thanked them for their dedication and all of their efforts.
He then returned to the El-Arish airport where, before leaving, he spoke to the press again. He emphasized that it is important that we not have a one-shot operation but have a meaningful number of trucks crossing every day, with expedited and practical verification.
On Saturday, he met with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt and attended the international conference to discuss current developments and the future of the Palestinian cause and the peace process.
Speaking at that event in Cairo, he expressed gratitude that a 20-truck convoy of aid was moving from Egypt into Gaza that day. But, he added, the people of Gaza need a commitment for much, much more — a continuous delivery of aid to Gaza at the scale that is needed. “We are working nonstop with all parties that are relevant to make it happen,” he said. (See Press Release SG/SM/22000.)
Later that day, the Secretary-General expressed his gratitude for the assistance of the Emir of Qatar for his efforts to secure the release of two Americans who had been held hostage in Gaza.
The Secretary-General renewed his call for an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
The Secretary-General departed early on Sunday morning, 22 October, for New York, where he arrived later the same day.