Egypt calls for humanitarian aid to be provided to Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. According to the Egyptian government on friday, October 13, 2023, it is directing international aid flights to Al Arish airport near its border with the enclave.
The Rafah crossing between the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza remains open, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Foreign Ministry added that Egypt had ask Israel not to target the crossing on the Palestinian side which had been shell earlier this week.
Israel’s massive bombardment and total siege of Gaza has worried Egypt, as the country borders the southern Palestinian region and controls the main exit point for the 2.3 million people living there.
The entry and exit of tourists through Rafah, which is tightly control, has been stop since Israeli bombing hit the Palestinian border earlier this week. As the main mediator between Israel and Palestine during the period of unrest in Gaza, Egypt said it was trying to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. However, the situation within the enclave hampered these plans.
Egypt has also signaled its rejection of Gazans forced to cross the border to the south.
Gaza Strip,” said Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, in a press conference with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis.
Meanwhile, in a telephone conversation with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stressed the need to guarantee humanitarian services and assistance to Palestinians in Gaza, Sisi’s office said in a statement. Sisi also informe Sunak of Egypt’s “continuous efforts to encourage calm and self control to prevent bloodshell. The costs of which will paid by more innocent people, and whose consequences. Will spread throughout the region,” the statement said.
Israel, responding to deadly attacks by the Hamas armed group on Israel, said on Thursday there would be no halt to humanitarian aid in the Gaza siege until all the hostages were freed. Israel’s Minister of Energy, Katz, said via social media Humanity for humanity. And no one is allow to tell us about morals.”