Egyptian-UN discussions to implement the second phase of the Gaza agreement amidst continued Israeli violations

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Atty held an extensive meeting today, Wednesday, with the High Representative for Gaza in the Peace Council, Nikolay Mladenov, focusing on ways to advance the implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. These discussions come at a sensitive time, as the Strip continues to witness field violations by Israeli occupation forces, threatening the stability of existing understandings.

Official sources clarified that the meeting discussed in detail the latest humanitarian and field developments in Gaza, and international efforts aimed at supporting the implementation of the entitlements of the second phase stemming from recent international initiatives. The Egyptian side stressed the necessity of adhering to the agreed-upon timelines and provisions to ensure a smooth transition towards a complete cessation of military operations.

During the discussions, Minister Abdel Atty emphasized the importance of not allowing regional escalation in the area to distract from the core issue in Gaza. He pointed out that completing the implementation of all provisions of the second phase is a top priority for the Egyptian state, affirming Cairo's full support for Mladenov's efforts in this complex diplomatic framework.

In a related context, the discussions stressed the necessity of keeping the Rafah crossing open in both directions to ensure the unimpeded flow of humanitarian and medical aid. Both sides considered that alleviating the humanitarian suffering of the Strip's residents requires genuine international will to remove the Israeli restrictions imposed on the entry of relief convoys and basic necessities.

The meeting also focused on the importance of a complete Israeli withdrawal from the agreed-upon areas, paving the way for the start of early recovery projects throughout the Strip. This vision aims to transition to a comprehensive reconstruction phase according to a coordinated international approach that responds to the actual needs of the population who have suffered widespread destruction of infrastructure.

On the ground, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced the martyrdom of four people and the injury of 12 others during the past twenty-four hours. Medical sources clarified that these injuries and deaths resulted from continued direct Israeli targeting of civilians, despite the ceasefire agreement coming into effect since mid-October last year.

Updated statistical data revealed that the total number of victims of the ongoing aggression since October 7, 2023, has risen to 72,289 martyrs and 172,040 injured. These staggering figures reflect the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe that has befallen the Strip, amidst the continued presence of thousands of missing persons under the rubble and in rugged roads.

Field reports indicated that the death toll since the announcement of the truce on October 11 last year reached 713 martyrs, in addition to the recovery of 756 bodies from under the rubble. Ambulance and civil defense crews face extreme difficulties in reaching targeted areas due to the absence of safe conditions and the continued flight of drones and targeting of movements.

In a dangerous development, sources reported that the Israeli occupation army has established its military presence by setting up 7 new sites along what is known as the 'Yellow Line'. These movements included placing concrete blocks and destroying surrounding residential buildings, displacing more families and crowding approximately 2.1 million Palestinians into very small areas.

Current Egyptian diplomatic moves seek to curb these field violations and ensure that the ceasefire agreement does not collapse. The Palestinian side demands genuine international guarantees that prevent the targeting of civilians and oblige the occupation to withdraw from vital centers and residential areas that were re-occupied during the recent ground operations.

Military escalation in the region must not distract from the full implementation of the second phase of the war cessation plan in Gaza.