In a joint effort to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Egypt and Turkey have joined forces, as confirmed in a press conference with Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry and Turkey’s intelligence chief, Hakan Fidan, on Saturday. Fidan emphasized the crucial need to prevent the geographical spread of the ongoing conflict and expressed gratitude to Egyptian authorities for facilitating the reception of Turkish humanitarian aid via El-Arish.
Turkish humanitarian aid planes are set to continue arriving in El-Arish, underlining the commitment to providing essential assistance to Gaza. Fidan stressed the importance of serious negotiations to determine the conditions for opening the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Sinai, enabling the flow of aid to Palestinians.
Highlighting the complexity of aid delivery, Fidan emphasized, “Bringing aid from sending countries to Egypt is one thing while delivering it to those in need from there is another.” This underscores the need for coordinated efforts among Egypt, Israel, and other involved parties.
Additionally, Fidan revealed that Turkey is actively coordinating with both Egypt and Israel on the evacuation of Turkish citizens from the conflict zone. Out of 300 Turkish nationals in the strip, 30 have already been successfully evacuated.
Despite Egypt’s assertion that its side of the Rafah crossing remains open, challenges persist due to repeated Israeli bombardments on the Palestinian side of the border. The Israeli army has stipulated that the crossing can only be used through coordination with Israel, further complicating the aid delivery process.
Egypt has been a hub for aid flights from various countries, including Turkey, the UAE, and Jordan, as well as contributions from the World Health Organization. El-Arish International Airport serves as a crucial point for receiving aid destined for Gaza.
The collaborative efforts of Egypt and Turkey come amid ongoing Israeli air and artillery strikes on the Gaza Strip, resulting in a devastating toll on the Palestinian population. The joint initiatives aim to alleviate the immediate impact of the crisis, coordinating aid delivery and evacuation measures to address the urgent needs of those affected by the conflict.
