Egyptian FM warns of grave consequences of Israel's military operation in Rafah

Cairo: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday discussed over the phone the recent security and humanitarian impacts of the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, particularly in the southernmost city of Rafah, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

During the phone conversation, Shoukry underscored the dire consequences of the Rafah operation, which affected more than 1.4 million Palestinians after the closure of the Rafah crossing, amid the ongoing extensive Israeli offensive, Xinhua news agency reported.

He emphasised the necessity of resuming the delivery of aid to the Gaza Strip, which had been suspended in the past few days.

The ongoing Israeli operation in Gaza poses a severe threat to regional stability, the statement quoted Shoukry as saying.

Both diplomats stressed the importance of reopening the crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip and ensuring the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid to meet the needs of Gaza's residents.

According to the latest statistics released by Gaza's health authorities on Monday, more than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed, and over 78,800 others injured in the Gaza Strip since Israel launched a large-scale offensive in the Palestinian enclave following Hamas's surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.