On Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden said that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has consented to open the Rafah border crossing into Gaza, permitting the entry of 20 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid.
While on Air Force One, Mr. Biden mentioned that he had a conversation with Mr. El Sisi following his trip to Israel, during which the leaders consented to the entry of the aid.
President El Sisi has agreed to “let up to 20 trucks through to begin with,” President Biden informed journalists. Due to the poor condition of the roads, the aid’s arrival in Gaza might be delayed until Friday, he noted.
President Biden concluded a brief journey to Israel, during which he emphasized the U.S.’s dedication to Israeli security and advocated for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Trucks transporting essential supplies to the besieged Gaza Strip have been halted on the Egyptian border for several days, awaiting a diplomatic resolution to grant them entry.
Earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared his refusal to permit aid through Israel’s borders with Gaza, but he expressed no objection to its entry via Egypt’s Rafah crossing.
The agenda of President Biden’s visit to Israel was disrupted following an attack on a Gazan hospital on Tuesday, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds seeking refuge there.
Palestinians and Arab countries attributed the explosion to Israeli actions, but Israel countered by stating the attack resulted from a malfunctioning rocket fired by the Islamic Jihad militant organization.
Subsequently, a scheduled meeting of Arab leaders in Amman, expected to feature Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and President El Sisi, was canceled.
The attack on the hospital triggered global censure and demonstrations in several major cities.
The provision of twenty trucks of aid is relatively insufficient, given Gaza’s population of 2.3 million residents who have endured restrictions on land, air, and sea since Hamas assumed control in 2007.
On October 7, following a sudden assault by Hamas militants on regions of southern Israel, which resulted in 1,400 deaths and approximately 200 hostages, Israel intensified its blockade on the small territory.
In retaliation, Israel has conducted air raids on the Gaza Strip, leading to roughly 3,500 fatalities as reported by authorities in Gaza.
Furthermore, Israel imposed a blockade on water, electricity, food, and medical supplies, eliciting international outrage and alarm from the UN regarding a potential humanitarian disaster.
The intended aid will be allocated to humanitarian agencies for further dissemination. Amid fears expressed by Israel that Hamas could seize the aid, President Biden issued a stern warning: should that occur, “It will end.”
