The Egyptian Foreign Minister has called on Israel to take responsibility for allowing aid into Gaza through the border crossings it controls.
An Egyptian source denied Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz’s accusations that Egypt closed the Rafah crossing, emphasizing that Egypt does not hold the key to preventing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
According to a high-level source quoted by Al-Qahira news channel, the closure of the Rafah crossing was due to the unjustified escalation carried out by Israel in the Palestinian city of Rafah.
Egypt has warned Israel about the dangers of continuing to block humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip.
Earlier, Katz had urged Egypt to reopen the Rafah crossing to allow the continued delivery of international humanitarian aid to Gaza.
He emphasized the global responsibility placed on Israel for the humanitarian situation in Gaza, but insisted that the key to preventing a crisis now lies with Egypt.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is intensifying, particularly in the densely populated city of Rafah.
The United Nations reported that nearly 450,000 Palestinians have been displaced in recent days due to the escalation of Israeli military operations in the city.
UNRWA confirmed that about 360,000 Palestinians have been displaced from Rafah in the past week, adding to the 1.3 million people who had sought refuge there before the latest operation began.
UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq indicated that the army’s evacuation orders led to the displacement of around 100,000 people.
UNRWA highlighted that people in Gaza are facing exhaustion, hunger, and continuous fear, with no safe place available. An immediate ceasefire is considered the only hope for relief.
About 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza are experiencing catastrophic levels of hunger, teetering on the brink of famine.
The UN has described the situation as a “widespread famine” in the north of the region.
The UN also reported that a convoy marked with its emblem was attacked in Gaza, resulting in the death of an Indian staff member and the injury of another.
The organization had planned and announced the convoy’s movements in advance to the Israeli authorities.
This incident marks the first time an international UN employee has been killed since Israel began its military operation in Gaza following the October 7 attack.
UN spokesperson Rolando Gomez underscored that the killing of the UN staff member demonstrates the absence of safe places in Gaza now.
