US President Joe Biden said this Wednesday that his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi They agreed to open the Rafah border crossing, which connects their country to the Gaza Strip, to allow the entry of 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid.. The US president made this announcement during a meeting with the press aboard the Air Force One presidential plane, where he stopped in Germany on his return trip to Washington from Israel, where he visited on Wednesday.
Biden stated: Aid will be cut if the Islamist group Hamas cuts off aid, but if the trucks reach the civilian population as planned, Egypt will allow more people to enter.. He announced that former ambassador David Satterfield, whom Biden appointed this Sunday as special envoy for humanitarian affairs in the Middle East, is currently in Cairo coordinating efforts to deliver aid to the Strip.
The American leader said that when Biden set off from Israel, he talked to El Sisi on the phone for about half an hour and the Egyptians agreed to allow 20 trucks to enter the Rafah crossing. Also the plan is as follows: repairing roadsThe potholes are being closed so that trucks can pass through the Refah crossing. The idea is to have these repairs done for about eight hours tomorrow, Thursday, so that aid can enter Gaza on Friday.
According to information provided by an NGO to EFE, hundreds of trucks belonging to non-governmental organizations in Egypt are waiting for the Rafah gate, which was destroyed by Israeli bombardments in recent days, to be opened. Biden said that within the scope of the agreement, United Nations troops will distribute medicine, water and food to the people on the Palestinian side of the border.
“Frank” negotiations only with good results
The American president described the talks with both El-Sisi and the war cabinet formed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip as “open” but was satisfied with the results. “I have been very clear about the need to support the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and to deliver it quickly,” he told reporters.
Biden already announced the following during his visit to Israel this Wednesday: Netanyahu had accepted that humanitarian aid would enter the Strip through the Rafah gate.It connects the region to the Egyptian Sinai and is the only area in Gaza not controlled by Israel. Regarding Rafah’s opening, Biden said, “The truth is that El-Sisi deserves a lot of recognition,” emphasizing that both the Egyptian president and Netanyahu were “very cooperative” and took “one step forward.” He also explained that the argument he used to reach agreement on the entry of humanitarian aid was: “If you have the means to alleviate suffering, you should do it. If you don’t, you will lose credibility around the world.” ”
During his visit to Israel, Biden met with Netanyahu, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and the war cabinet, and reiterated to them the unwavering support of the United States for Israel. “They are not alone” or “We have our full support” have been heard throughout America’s public interventions.