UNITED NATIONS, Oct 17 (APP):: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will fly to Cairo Thursday to meet with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, whose government has so far blocked the flow of aid through the Rafah border crossing into Gaza, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday amid worsening conditions in the enclave under ceaseless Israeli aerial onslaught.Â
The move comes after the UN Security Council failure to adopt a Russian resolution that would have called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, whose access to food, water and other necessities.Â
The Russian draft was co-sponsored by many OIC and Arab countries, including Pakistan.Â
On its part, Egypt says that the Rafah crossing on its side is officially open, but blames “aerial bombardments” for making the crossing “inaccessible” and unsafe for aid lorries to cross into Gaza.Â
The UN chief, who is now in China, will confer with Egypt’s leader and other officials in Cairo, spokesman Dujarric said. Guterres will also speak Saturday at an international conference that President Sissi is sponsoring, according to Dujarric.Â
He did not specify if the UN secretary-general will also go to Israel or anywhere else in the Middle East.Â
“Obviously, we need, in order to move humanitarian aid through Gaza, we need safe passage, right? We can’t move humanitarian trucks and convoys while active bombardment is ongoing,†Dujarric said.Â
He added: “There are intense discussions going on in which we’re involved with a number of parties in order to try to get the most basic humanitarian aid in as quickly as possible and that’s food, water, medicine. Those things are urgently needed.”Â
The Russian-led draft resolution received five votes in favour (China, Gabon, Mozambique, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates) and four against (France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States), with six abstentions (Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, Ghana, Malta, and Switzerland).Â
For the 15-member Council to adopt a resolution, the proposal must receive at least nine votes in favour, with none of its five permanent members opposing or casting a veto.Â
The resolution was focused on an immediate, durable and fully respected humanitarian ceasefire; and unimpeded provision and distribution of humanitarian assistance, including of food, fuel and medical treatment, as well as creating conditions for the safe evacuation of civilians in need. These were also two of the main demands of the state of Palestine.Â
The United States and its allies opposed the Russian resolution as it did not specifically condemn the attacks by Hamas that reportedly killed over a 1,000 Israelis. On the other hand, at least 2,750 Palestinians have been killed and 9,700 wounded in the retaliatory Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, the enclave’s health ministry said Monday.Â
The Security Council is now expected to take action tonight on a rival draft resolution circulated by Brazil. The Brazilian draft calls for “humanitarian pauses†in addition to condemning Hamas and all violence and terrorist acts against civilians.Â
