Israel-Hamas war: Egypt agrees to open Gaza aid corridor
Egypt announced the creation of a "sustainable" humanitarian corridor, allowing aid to reach Gaza via the Rafah border crossing, NDTV reported. Reportedly, hundreds of trucks with essential supplies are waiting to enter Gaza, which is under siege and is being bombed by Israel. This came after Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi spoke to United States President Joe Biden, who called the former "very accommodating."
Why does this story matter?
Egypt previously rejected a corridor for civilians to evacuate Gaza, as it would result in a large number of refugees entering Egypt. It said that Israel wanted to vacate Gaza only to occupy it, and urged Gazans to remain on their land. Egypt has long restricted the influx of refugees from Gaza, while Israel has cut off all essential supplies to Gaza.
Egypt to send aid to Gaza, but won't accept refugees
Egypt said that, along with the US, it was coordinating with international humanitarian organizations under the aegis of the United Nations (UN) to ensure that aid reaches Gaza, Reuters reported. El-Sisi said that Egyptians were against the forced displacement of people from Gaza into the Sinai Peninsula. He added that if it happened, it would turn Sinai into a base for attacks against Israel.
Road through Rafah crossing needs repairing
After El-Sisi spoke to Biden, White House spokesperson John Kirby said that 20 trucks carrying aid would enter Gaza through Sinai in the coming days, adding that the road needed some repairs. Although Egypt has been trying to send relief to Gaza, it has been piling up at the Rafah crossing since Israel bombed it, resulting in a blockade, Reuters said.
Egypt, Jordan, Palestine's leaders canceled meeting with Biden earlier
Previously, El-Sisi along with his Jordanian and Palestinian counterparts canceled their meeting with Biden after an airstrike hit the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, killing 500 people. Following reports that Israel had agreed to allow foreigners to leave Gaza, Israel denied approving a ceasefire that would have opened the Rafah crossing for aid to arrive and foreigners to exit Gaza.
3,480 Palestinians, 1,400 Israelis killed
Gaza is wedged between Israel—from the north and east—and Egypt from the southwest, with the Gaza Mediterranean Sea on its west. Gaza, home to 23 lakh people, has been besieged by Israel since 2007 when Hamas came to power after winning the Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006. So far, 3,480 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis have been killed since Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel.
