According to a USAID official, around 900,000 people have fled Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip due to the Israeli military operation in the city.
The displaced individuals have moved to areas already hosting large numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and suffering from a severe shortage of services and humanitarian aid.
In recent weeks, U.S. officials have actively engaged in facilitating discussions between Israel and Egypt. Their objective is to establish an agreement appointing the European organization to oversee the Rafah crossing, enhancing the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, insiders report.
Closed since Israel’s May 7 invasion, the Rafah crossing has been at the center of intense negotiations. Egyptian representatives are pushing for the reinstatement of the original Gazan management team.
Conversely, Israel insists on excluding former managers due to their alleged affiliations with Hamas, proposing a fresh team instead. This deadlock has critically hindered aid flow to Gaza, raising fears of severe food shortages amidst ongoing military operations.
The United States has proposed a solution involving a neutral mediator—the European Union Border Assistance Mission to the Rafah Crossing Point (EUBAM). Notably, EUBAM had previously managed the border until its 2007 withdrawal following Hamas’s rise to power in Gaza.
Despite reaching out, there has been no comment from EUBAM or the European Commission regarding their discussions with the Biden administration.
Recent developments include Israeli officials visiting Cairo to negotiate the re-opening of the Rafah crossing under EUBAM’s oversight. A senior U.S. official hinted that if consensus is reached and EUBAM agrees, the crossing could reopen within weeks, significantly improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
