Photos: Egypt, UAE conduct another airdrop of tons of relief aid in northern Gaza

CAIRO – 6 March 2024: Egyptian and Emirati military transport aircraft have conducted an airdrop of "tons" of relief aid, food, and medicine in northern Gaza, announced Egyptian Armed Forces' Spokesman, Gharib Abdel Hafez, on Wednesday.

According to the spokesman, the aircraft departed from El-Arish International Airport and delivered aid to areas that are difficult to reach by ground means.

Abdel Hafez also confirmed the continued opening of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza for aid delivery, in line with the ongoing Egyptian and global efforts to achieve calm as the holy month of Ramadan approaches.

 

With Ramadan just a few days away, mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been engaged in discussions to negotiate the terms of a potential ceasefire in Gaza, aiming to end nearly five months of aggression.

The mediators are urging for an immediate ceasefire to facilitate increased aid delivery to the war-torn Gaza Strip and enable a prisoner swap deal.

The proposed deal is expected to halt the fighting for at least six weeks and facilitate the release of around 100 captives held by Hamas in Gaza, in exchange for the freedom of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

 

The ceasefire talks have been ongoing in Cairo for four consecutive days, with the participation of senior negotiators from Egypt, Qatar, and the US, as well as envoys from Hamas, aiming to reach a ceasefire agreement before the start of Ramadan.

Israel has boycotted the negotiations in the Egyptian capital due to Hamas's refusal to provide a list of captives who are still alive.

A ceasefire is desperately needed as UN data reveals that one quarter of Gaza's 2.3 million population is "one step away from famine," with children suffering and dying from starvation.

 

Since October 7, the Israeli attacks have claimed the lives of 30,717 people and injured 72,156, according to the health ministry in Gaza.

Egypt is increasingly concerned about Israeli threats to launch a ground invasion in Rafah city, which shares a border with Sinai and currently houses approximately 1.4 million Palestinians, a significant increase from the pre-war population of around 200,000.

Egypt has expressed its deep concerns regarding the catastrophic impact that such an operation would have on further exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation in the strip.