Egypt urges global pressure to lift Israeli obstacles on Gaza aid amid harsh winter

CAIRO – 7 December 2026: Egypt has called on the international community to intensify efforts to ensure the full delivery of humanitarian, medical, and relief aid to Gaza.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty urged international pressure to remove Israeli-imposed obstacles that have hindered access to essential supplies in adequate quantities during the severe winter conditions.

Abdelatty made the remarks during a phone call on Wednesday with Tom Fletcher, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

The urgency has been heightened by worsening winter conditions in Gaza, where heavy rainfall has damaged makeshift shelters and flooded large areas.

Despite the distribution of tents and protective coverings since the start of a fragile ceasefire, humanitarian agencies estimate that more than one million people, roughly half the territory’s population, remain in critical need of adequate shelter, the UN reported last week.

Repeated displacement during the prolonged war has left many families exposed, with flooded streets, mud, and debris further compounding living conditions.

The Egyptian foreign minister stressed the importance of protecting civilians in Gaza and accelerating the provision of basic necessities, including relief materials and mobile homes, to alleviate the suffering of the population.

Abdelatty also underscored the need to implement the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza and start reconstruction and early recovery efforts in the enclave.

The minister reaffirmed to Fletcher Egypt’s full support for the work of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), highlighting its central role in strengthening effective humanitarian responses across the region, protecting civilians, and monitoring violations in both the occupied Palestinian territories and Sudan.

He stressed the importance of maintaining close coordination with the United Nations and its specialized agencies to ease civilian suffering and support regional stability.