Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called for stronger global efforts to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and support Palestinian rights during a ministerial meeting of the Madrid Group held in Spain’s capital on Sunday.
In a statement from the Foreign Ministry, Abdelatty welcomed the evolving positions of several countries regarding the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, urging the international community to maintain pressure for justice and human dignity. He warned that the humanitarian disaster in Gaza has reached levels never seen before.
Israeli forces have blocked the entry of essential supplies—such as food, fuel, and medicine—for more than two months. Only a limited amount of aid was permitted last week, following urgent warnings from international experts about famine and growing criticism from some of Israel’s closest allies.
A day before the Madrid meeting, an Arab-Islamic ministerial delegation met in Paris with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, demanding an end to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and calling for immediate humanitarian access to the territory.
At the Madrid session, Abdelatty drew attention to a forthcoming international conference focused on resolving the crisis in Gaza and the occupied territories. The conference, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, will take place from June 17 to 20 in New York. He said the event should deliver concrete outcomes that strengthen Palestinian representation and regional stability.
Abdelatty rejected any proposals aimed at displacing Palestinians from Gaza and stressed the worsening conditions in the West Bank. He also repeated Egypt’s call for a comprehensive political solution that involves a full end to Israeli occupation based on established international resolutions and the 1967 borders.
Since Israel resumed its military offensive in March—after ending a ceasefire in January—the death toll in Gaza has continued to climb. The Palestinian Health Ministry reports that more than 53,000 people, most of them women and children, have been killed over the past 19 months. Injuries have surpassed 120,000.
Bilateral Meetings with Key Global Partners
On the sidelines of the Madrid gathering, Abdelatty held a series of diplomatic talks with foreign counterparts to discuss Gaza and broader regional challenges.
He met with Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, praising Norway’s clear position in support of Palestinian rights and its participation in a joint donor statement on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Abdelatty also commended Norway’s rejection of forced displacement and its endorsement of the Arab initiative for recovery and reconstruction.
The Egyptian minister also held talks with Tanja Fajon, Slovenia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister; Mauro Vieira, Brazil’s Foreign Minister; and Hamish Falconer, the UK’s Minister for the Middle East and North Africa. Their discussions covered regional developments in Syria, Sudan, Libya, and the war in Ukraine.
Egypt continues to play a central diplomatic role in mobilizing international support to halt the violence in Gaza, push for emergency aid delivery, and defend the rights of Palestinians under occupation.