Sources from the United States have indicated that the Rafah Crossing may open on Saturday to allow the entry of humanitarian and relief aid into the Gaza Strip.
This potential development follows an announcement from Cairo on Thursday. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and US President Joe Biden had agreed during a phone call on the “sustainable entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza through the Rafah Crossing,” according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.
The Egyptian statement did not specify when aid would start entering the Gaza Strip. However, it came shortly after Biden announced that al-Sisi had agreed to allow the initial passage of 20 trucks of humanitarian aid through Rafah to the besieged enclave, home to 2.4 million people.
President Biden had expressed his expectation on Thursday that these trucks would not cross until Friday due to repairs needed on the road around the crossing, as reported by AFP.
Since the start of the conflict, the Palestinian side of the Rafah Crossing, the only gateway from Gaza to the outside world not controlled by Israel, has been hit four times. This prompted Egyptian authorities to temporarily close it and evacuate personnel.
According to Biden, following his phone call with his Egyptian counterpart, al-Sisi had agreed to “allow up to 20 trucks to pass initially.” He clarified that the United Nations would distribute this aid within the Gaza Strip, with the entry of a second batch contingent on how things progress.
It’s worth noting that thousands of tons of relief aid destined for Gaza’s residents are currently awaiting entry aboard trucks at the Rafah Crossing or in the northern Sinai city of Arish, Egypt. Witnesses told AFP on Thursday of approximately “150 trucks waiting at the Rafah Crossing,” while hundreds of trucks are awaiting in Arish, roughly 45 kilometers from Rafah.
Truck drivers have raised concerns about perishable food items among the aid that might spoil due to long waiting times, according to eyewitnesses.
