Egyptian President Abdelfattah Al-Sisi and US President Joe Biden agreed to the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, following a phone call between the two presidents on Wednesday evening, 18 October, the spokesman for the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.
According to the statement, the two presidents agreed that the aid would enter Gaza through the Rafah crossing in a “sustainable manner,” by coordinating with international humanitarian organizations under the supervision of the United Nations to secure the arrival of aid.
During the call, Biden also thanked the Egyptian president for his efforts towards achieving peace and stability in the region.
In a statement to the press aboard the presidential plane Air Force One, Biden said that it was agreed that up to 20 trucks would be allowed to go into Gaza through the Rafah crossing.
Since the roads were damaged as a result of Israeli airstrikes in recent days, the Rafah crossing would first need to be fixed, so the trucks may only be able to go in by Friday, 20 October.
Egypt has been concerned that aid trucks and workers would be struck by Israeli missiles.
This agreement comes following Biden’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday, 18 October, during his trip to show solidarity with Israel in its ongoing war on Gaza.
The Conflict So Far
On 7 October, Hamas launched a surprise attack from Gaza on Israel, taking Israel’s military and intelligence establishment by surprise and resulting in significant urban combat on its streets for the first time in decades. Following these events, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is at war, and Israeli Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Israel Katz announced that Israel will cut off power to the Gaza Strip.
There have been civilian casualties on both sides, and Palestinian militant groups claim to be holding more than 130 Israeli captives.
Since Hamas’ attack, Israel has conducted over 1,000 airstrikes in Gaza, displacing and killing thousands, and causing significant damage to homes and infrastructure.
More than 3,400 Palestinians have been killed as of Thursday, 19 October, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. At least 1,400 people have been killed in Israel since the start of the conflict.
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Comment (1)
[…] Over 20 trucks of aid had been stuck at the border crossing for over a week, but have been delayed in entry due to the severe damages caused by Israeli airstrikes. The trucks are carrying humanitarian aid under the supervision of international organizations. […]