CAIRO – 11 May 2024: Egypt has refused to coordinate with Israel on the delivery of humanitarian aid through the Rafah border crossing, amidst an unprecedented escalation by Israel, said a high-level source.
The source emphasized Egypt's position, holding Israel accountable for the deteriorating situation in Gaza, and warned of the consequences of Israel's ongoing takeover of the Rafah crossing.
As Egypt shares a border with Gaza through the city of Rafah, it strongly condemned the recent Israeli takeover of the Rafah border crossing from the Gaza side, which has blocked the main point of aid delivery.
On Tuesday, Israeli tanks launched an assault in the southernmost city, putting the lives of approximately 1.4 million Palestinians, including 600,000 children, at risk.
The Israeli assault occurred shortly after Hamas accepted a ceasefire proposal presented by Egyptian and Qatari mediators. However, the Israeli government declared that the proposal did not meet its conditions.
On Saturday, the Israeli military ordered Palestinians to evacuate their homes in more areas of eastern Rafah as well as the northern Gaza Strip.
"[IDF] decides to expand its military ops in the north of the #Gaza and the south at the same time and asks the residents to evacuate. The question is, where do the people go?!" the shame is from @AlsisiOfficial #Egypt’s that by now should have acted on #Rafah. Enough is Enough! https://t.co/gxKNnMbDJN
— __ (@NoMoreNato_) May 11, 2024
Egypt has warned that Israel's continuous attacks in Rafah, including the control of the Palestinian side of the crossing, constitute a policy of brinkmanship that undermines the goal of achieving a sustainable truce in Gaza.
Since February, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been working towards securing a new ceasefire that would facilitate the release of captives, increase the delivery of aid to the war-torn region, and establish a lasting truce.
The latest round of talks, which took place in Cairo last week with the participation of negotiators from Israel and Hamas, concluded without reaching a truce agreement.
The key points of contention between Hamas and Israel remain unresolved, with Hamas insisting on a permanent cessation of hostilities, while Israel rejects this demand.
Instead, the Israeli government seeks a period of truce that includes the release of its surviving hostages from Gaza, without indicating an end to the conflict with Hamas.
Since Tuesday, the Israeli assault in Rafah has resulted in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians, further adding to the already staggering toll of nearly 35,000 people killed and over 78,000 wounded since October 7.
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