Egypt hosts ministerial conference to garner support for Gaza

Cairo, Dec 2 A ministerial conference kicked off on Monday in Cairo to garner regional and international support for the besieged Gaza and alleviate the sufferings of the Palestinian people.

The meeting is being held under the auspices of the Egyptian President with the participation of 103 delegations of various countries, international organisations, and financial institutions, according to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini told the conference that "UNRWA has preserved the Palestinian identity since its establishment and works in accordance with international law and to protect the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people."

He added that safe and effective conditions must be ensured for the continuation of humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip, urging an emergency response and a political solution to end the catastrophic situation in Gaza, Xinhua news agency reported.

Palestinian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Mustafa said, Egypt, since the first day of the Israeli aggression, has backed the Palestinian side and exerted sincere efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip."

For his part, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said, "Egypt fully condemns the illegal ban of the work of UNRWA, which reflects an unacceptable disregard for the international community and its institutions."

The Israeli parliament in October passed a law prohibiting UNRWA from operating within its territory.

Source: IANS