Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Social Affairs Sector, represented Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, at a forum organised by the Centre for Strategic Studies at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina under the title “Humanitarian Relief Challenges in the Gaza Strip," on 17 January.
During her participation, the Ambassador emphasised the critical need to continue providing life-saving humanitarian, relief, and health support to the Gaza Strip in light of the genocide committed against civilians, children and women, now entering its fourth month. The relentless Israeli bombardment of the Strip from the air, land, and sea, coupled with restrictions hindering the delivery of essential aid and utilities like electricity, water, and communications, has rendered the Gaza Strip unsafe and uninhabitable. The Ambassador underscored that the current situation has left residents facing not only the immediate threat of the war machine but also the inevitable risks of hunger, thirst, and disease.
The Ambassador called for an immediate cessation of the war machine and urged for the facilitation of safe working conditions for international organisations. This, she stressed, is essential to ensure the urgent, adequate, and sustainable implementation of humanitarian aid, recognising it as the most significant challenge in addressing the current crisis in the Gaza Strip.
In her address at the forum, the Ambassador affirmed that the League of Arab States, in alignment with the position articulated by His Excellency the Secretary-General, stands in support of South Africa's legal action against Israel before the International Court of Justice. The charges brought forth include accusations of genocide crimes and violations of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention of the Crime of Genocide. The General Secretariat eagerly anticipates a ruling that will, in turn, prompt an end to the ongoing aggressive war and halt the tragic loss of Palestinian lives. This, she emphasised, would open avenues for holding accountable all Israeli officials implicated in the crime of genocide, thus reinstating the credibility of international justice before the world.
EThe Ambassador acknowledged the diligent efforts of the Arab Republic of Egypt in coordinating and consistently delivering urgent aid and emergency necessities to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip since the outset of the brutal Israeli aggression. She also extended appreciation to the Director-General of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina for his dedicated efforts in organising the crucial forum amid the escalating tragic events in the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, she commended the collective Arab endeavours to support Palestine, including the dispatch of air aid bridges to supply the resilient Palestinian population with essential resources during this challenging period to mitigate the repercussions of the Israeli aggression.
