According to official data, the crossing, which links Egypt to the Strip, is the only one not controlled by Israel, but its planes bombed surrounding areas on the Palestinian side, forcing its closure.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry criticized Israel for preventing the entry of food and medicine to the Gaza Strip, which is suffering a serious humanitarian crisis as a result of bombings by that country.
“Israel is preventing aid from entering Gaza,” the Foreign Minister said during a press conference with his French counterpart, Catherine Colonna.
“We have been trying to keep the Rafah border crossing open since the beginning of the conflict on October 7, but unfortunately the authorities of that nation adopted another position,” he stressed.
According to official data, the crossing, which links Egypt to the Strip, is the only one not controlled by Israel, but its planes bombed surrounding areas on the Palestinian side, forcing its closure.
Live streaming coming soon… Joint Press conference between H.E. Sameh Shoukry, ���� Minister of Foreign Affairs, and H.E. Catherine Colonna, ���� Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, at MFA HQ, Cairo.@francediplo@francediplo_EN@MinColonna pic.twitter.com/eNkTdJZAVn
— Egypt MFA Spokesperson (@MfaEgypt) October 16, 2023
Furthermore, Shoukry noted that Cairo is in contact with various organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, to provide urgent aid to civilians in Gaza as soon as the situation allows.
We must concentrate at this time on stopping the escalation of violence, the official, who reaffirmed his government’s total rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians from the coastal enclave, warned.
�� #UPDATE: ���� Statement from Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry
— Ishraqul Alam (@IshraqulAlamX) October 17, 2023
- "Unfortunately, Israel has not yet allowed humanitarian aid to enter Gaza."
- "Israel has not yet taken a position that allows the opening of the Rafah crossing from the Gaza side."
- "We are intensifying… pic.twitter.com/IoBy9vv3iU
This morning an international news agency announced a cease-fire to allow the reopening of the crossing, but the Office of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, denied such an agreement.
"At the moment there is no ceasefire for humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip and the exit of foreigners," a terse statement noted.