Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi pledged in a telephone exchange with Joe Biden to “let humanitarian aid pass” into Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing point in southern Israel, it was reported on Friday the White House. “This will help save lives,” according to a press release. The White House indicates that the American president is for his part “fully committed” to working towards the reopening of another crucial crossing point, that of Rafah, the only one between Egypt and the Palestinian territory.
The humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory remains alarming
Israel, which is carrying out military operations in Rafah, took control of this border crossing at the beginning of May and the passage of humanitarian assistance is therefore blocked. The Egyptian and American leaders also discussed on Friday “new initiatives aimed at immediately releasing the hostages while establishing an immediate and lasting ceasefire” in Gaza. The humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory remains alarming, after more than seven months of war.
The conflict began on October 7 after the attack on Israeli soil by Hamas commandos infiltrated from the Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli data. That day, 252 people were also taken as hostages into the Palestinian territory.
Today, 121 are still held in Gaza, of whom 37 have died, according to the army. In response, the Israeli army launched a devastating offensive in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas, classified as a terrorist organization by Israel, the European Union and the United States in particular, took power in 2007. At least 35,800 Palestinians , mainly civilians, were killed, according to data from the Health Ministry of the Hamas-led Gaza government.