Diplomatic representatives of the United Nations Security Council member countries visited the Rafah border crossing in Egypt on Monday, serving as a gateway to the Gaza Strip. This initiative, spearheaded by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt, took place against the backdrop of the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza due to Israel’s intensive airstrikes during the armed conflict with Hamas.
Approximately ten ambassadors, including those from the United Kingdom and Russia, took part in this 24-hour informal visit. However, certain Western powers such as the United States and France were not represented. Ecuadorian envoy José de la Gasca expressed his sentiments to the media after visiting a hospital that cares for Palestinian casualties from Al-Arich, an Egyptian town near Rafah.
During the visit, the ambassadors met Wafaa Assad, a 27-year-old Gazan who was pregnant when her home was damaged by an Israeli bombing, resulting in the death of her husband and injuries to her two daughters. She was evacuated to Egyptian soil for proper medical care and underwent the amputation of an arm and a leg. Nevertheless, she successfully gave birth a few hours after arriving in Egypt, as conveyed by her sister Alaa to the press, emphasizing the clear message to the UN: « we want the war to stop. »