Sheikh Abdullah meets senior UN Gaza aid official in New York

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs is attending the UN General Assembly

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Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday, explored ways to improve the international response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza during talks with a leading UN official.

During talks at the UN General Assembly in New York, Sheikh Abdullah and Sigrid Kaag, UN senior humanitarian and reconstruction co-ordinator for Gaza, discussed efforts to secure a ceasefire, how to oversee the distribution of aid and the reconstruction of the enclave.

They said that ending the war would enable aid to be delivered to those in need across Gaza.

Sheikh Abdullah underlined the UAE's steadfast commitment to supporting the Palestine people, state news agency Wam reported. He set out the desire of the Emirates to work with the UN and other global partners to alleviate the suffering in the enclave.

The meeting was also attended by Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mohamed Abushahab, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN.

The opening day of the 79th General Assembly saw several world leaders renew calls for a diplomatic solution to the Israel-Gaza war and other conflicts across the world.

In his final address to the UN General Assembly, Mr Biden said the world stands at an “inflection point” and expressed frustration that a US-led push for a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel had come to nothing. He suggested a diplomatic solution could still be found to prevent Israel from going to war with Iran-backed militia Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“Even as the situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible. In fact, it remains the only path to lasting security,” Mr Biden said.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said: “We can't go on like this. We are edging towards the unimaginable – a powder keg that risks engulfing the world.”