Egypt warns of waning global focus on Gaza amid regional escalation

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty warned on Wednesday of the risks of declining international attention on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, amidst ongoing regional escalation. Speaking at a high-level panel discussion on the Palestinian cause at the World Bank headquarters, Abdelatty emphasized that current regional tensions highlight the need to refocus on the worsening humanitarian conditions in the enclave. He stressed the importance of coordinated efforts to de-escalate regional tensions due to their direct impact on Gaza. Abdelatty also highlighted the importance of enabling the national committee tasked with administering Gaza to operate from within the territory to manage daily affairs, as a step toward the full return of the Palestinian Authority. He further called for the swift deployment of an international stabilization force. The minister advocated for better coordination of bilateral and multilateral initiatives, focusing on projects with rapid and tangible impact, such as providing medicines, construction materials, desalination plants, mobile power stations, and temporary housing. These efforts, he noted, would help make Gaza more livable during the transitional phase. Abdelatty also underscored the vital role of national Red Crescent and Red Cross societies, particularly the Egyptian Red Crescent, in extending their work beyond traditional humanitarian assistance to include early recovery efforts, and stressed the importance of supporting these roles.