File photo of United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Doha. Pic by Amr Diab
Doha, Qatar: In solidarity with Palestinians and honouring Muslim beliefs during Ramadan, UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced that he is fasting.
On an official visit to Egypt, he expressed his respect for Muslim practices and his heartache for Palestinians in Gaza who are unable to have a proper Iftar.
"Fasting during my Ramadan solidarity mission, out of respect for the beliefs of the Muslim people I'm visiting, my heart is broken knowing that so many Palestinians in Gaza will not be able to have a proper Iftar," Guterres shared on X.
He further stressed his solidarity with the people of Gaza, urging the international community to take action and allow humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians.
"Today I saw long lines of blocked relief trucks waiting to be let into Gaza. It's time to truly flood Gaza with life-saving aid. The choice is clear: surge or starvation. Let's choose the side of help, the side of hope & the right side of history. I will not give up," he captioned a video from Egypt's North Sinai province, showing aid trucks blocked from entering Gaza.
Today I saw long lines of blocked relief trucks waiting to be let into Gaza.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 23, 2024
It’s time to truly flood Gaza with life-saving aid.
The choice is clear: surge or starvation.
Let’s choose the side of help, the side of hope & the right side of history.
I will not give up. pic.twitter.com/TTTcnR01bU
Guterres also met with Sudanese refugees in Egypt, sharing an Iftar meal, emphasizing his support.
"Ramadan is a time for spreading the values of compassion & peace. I had the honour of sharing an Iftar dinner with some of the more than 500,000 Sudanese refugees & asylum seekers who have been welcomed into Egypt. My solidarity with them & all those forcibly displaced," he stated on X.
Image: António Guterres on X
His visit included a meeting with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al Tayeb, in Cairo, acknowledging his efforts to foster peace and solidarity.
"A major moment of my Ramadan solidarity mission was being received by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al Tayeb in Cairo. His permanent engagement to foster peace & solidarity must be an example to all - now more than ever," Guterres remarked on X.
Guterres praised the generosity of the Egyptian people during his visit, highlighting their commitment to compassion, peace, and solidarity.
"During my Ramadan solidarity mission, I have witnessed the generosity of the people of Egypt in these difficult times. In my meeting with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, I acknowledged their commitment to the values of compassion, peace and solidarity," Guterres posted, celebrating the spirit of the Egyptian community.
