CAIRO – Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Monday that the Rafah land crossing and the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian brothers in the Gaza Strip are among the top priorities of Egypt since the beginning of the war.
Egypt, represented in the government or the Egyptian civil society, provides nearly 65% to 70% of humanitarian aid to Gaza, Shoukry said in an interview with the Bahraini newspaper “Akhbar Al Khaleej” on the sidelines of the 33rd Arab Summit that wrapped up its activities in Manama on Thursday.
Egypt was keen on keeping the Rafah crossing open and working in coordination with partners to convince Israel of the necessity to allow the entry of relief aid in larger quantities, along with overcoming obstacles placed by Israel to limit the entry of the life-saving aid to the Palestinians, Shoukry said.
Replying a question on the Israeli occupation’s evading of its responsibilities towards providing the necessary guarantees to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gazans, and turning the ball in Egypt’s court regarding organizing and allowing the entry of aid through the Rafah land crossing, Shoukry said “In light of the ongoing war and the military presence at the Rafah crossing, it is not possible to secure the entry of aid through the crossing or securing bus drivers or humanitarian workers.”
Thus, the continuation of military operations hinders humanitarian work, he made it clear, saying this does not negate the responsibility of the occupying state in providing humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, and Israel took control of five crossings connected to Gaza, and it must allow aid to enter through these crossings.
Israel cannot place responsibility on Egypt in light of the exceptional conditions existing at the Rafah crossing, and denying its responsibilities and capabilities to provide sustained aid that meet the essential needs of the Palestinian people in Gaza, Shoukry said.
Regarding the non-stop Israeli provocations against Egypt and its insistence on launching a ground invasion of Rafah, which some considered a violation of the joint peace agreement between the two sides, and the Egyptian vision for dealing with this situation, as it constitutes a threat to Egypt’s national security and sovereignty, Shoukry said.
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