UN spokesman renews calls for end of Gaza siege

A spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General has renewed calls for Egypt and Israel to lift the siege imposed on the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

According to Anadolu, Stephane Dujarric told a press conference that there is a “need” to lift the siege on Gaza. “We consider the Egyptian decision two days ago to open the Rafah crossing from both sides and allow the entry of humanitarian aid a good gesture,” he added, speaking before the authorities closed the border again.

The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry, visited Gaza earlier this month and called on Egypt and Israel to change “their failed policies” regarding the territory, and to adopt a new strategy. However, a spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Badr Abdel Atti, criticised Serry’s remarks and stressed Egypt’s right to take “all necessary measure to protect and secure” its borders.

The Egyptian authorities opened the Rafah crossing on Monday and Tuesday allowing hundreds of stranded travellers and humanitarian aid to enter the enclave. It has been largely closed since the coup against Mohammed Morsi in July 2013 and subsequent attacks on Egyptian security personnel in the Sinai Peninsula, which have been blamed on Hamas. The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement denies any involvement in such attacks and points out repeatedly that it does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.