Egypt’s Rafah border crossing expected to open, Friday

Cairo – 19 October 2023: Egypt’s Rafah border crossing expected to open, on Friday allowing the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza, sources told Al-Qahera news Channel.

During a phone call on Wednesday, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al Sisi and US President Joe Biden have agreed on sustainable delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing.

The relevant authorities in Egypt and the US will coordinate with the international humanitarian organizations under the supervision of the United Nations to secure the aid delivery, the presidents agreed.

Sisi and Biden discussions focused on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, said the Egyptian Presidency in a statement.

Biden voiced appreciation for the Egyptian leadership’s efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region.

Sisi and Biden discussed mechanisms to ensure that the humanitarian aid reaches the civilians in the strip, according to a separate statement by the White House.

The two presidents agreed to work together closely in order to encourage an urgent global response to the UN’s humanitarian appeal in Gaza.

They highlighted the need to safeguard stability in the Middle East, prevent escalation, and provide the appropriate atmosphere for a durable and permanent peace.

Moreover, they underscored their commitment to the enduring, strategic partnership between Egypt and the US.

On Wednesday, the office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will allow the entry of aid stranded in Egypt to Gaza amid unrelenting Israeli strikes on the enclave, which killed thousands of civilians.

Netanyahu’s office has not set a date for the aid entry but said Israel will “not thwart” the delivery of food, water and medicine to Gaza as long as they do not go to Hamas.

The Israeli office said its approval of aid delivery comes as per a request by Biden, who made a solidarity visit to Israel on the same day.

Hundreds of tons of aid have been stranded in Egypt’s North Sinai for days as Egypt reported that Israeli airstrikes have damaged the area of the Rafah border crossing from the Gazan side.

Egypt received aid from Jordan, Turkey, UAE and Tunisia as well as the World Health Organization (WHO). Also, Biden said in a press conference the US will provide aid worth $100 million for Gaza and West Bank.

Meanwhile, North Sinai Governor Mohamed Shosha said yesterday that aid provided by Egyptian NGOs and entities have totaled 3,000 tons.

The aid delivery to Gaza can mean the start of evacuation of third-country nationals from the strip. On Saturday, informed sources affirmed that Egyptian authorities have refused the evacuation of foreign residents from Gaza except as part of an aid delivery agreement.