Egypt prepares to send humanitarian aid into Gaza via Rafah

Egypt is gearing up to send vital humanitarian aid into Gaza following the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, marking a potential end to over 15 months of war on Gaza.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi confirmed that Cairo will facilitate humanitarian convoys to Gaza, aiming to restore normalcy in the besieged enclave.

According to a government statement, trucks loaded with food, medicine, water, medical equipment, and prefabricated homes are poised to cross the border as soon as the ceasefire takes effect on Sunday, 19 January.

The Rafah crossing, the only direct link between Gaza and Egypt, is central to these efforts.  However, concerns over the readiness of the border and Israel’s commitment to the ceasefire agreement have cast a shadow over these plans. 

Khaled Helal, director of the Egyptian Red Crescent in Arish, said that medical support teams and relief convoys are fully prepared to deliver assistance to those affected by the relentless Israeli bombardment.

“We are ready to act immediately upon receiving the green light from the presidency,” Helal told The New Arab’s Arabic language sister publication, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. 

Despite his comments, the situation remains precarious. For months, thousands of tons of aid from Arab and international donors have piled up near the Rafah crossing and in Arish as Israel obstructs the entry of items.

Delays have often led to food spoilage, with trucks waiting for weeks without being granted access to Gaza. 

Gaza’s dire humanitarian crisis 

Gaza has endured an unrelenting blockade and assault, leaving 46,000 dead, tens of thousands injured, and 2.2 million Palestinians displaced.

Before the Israeli escalation, an average of 500 trucks crossed daily from Egypt into Gaza. This aid lifeline has since been reduced to a trickle, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. 

Recent ceasefire negotiations, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, aim to reverse this dire trend.

Still, Israeli airstrikes targeting border infrastructure and areas near Khan Younis and the Philadelphia Corridor have raised fears of further delays. Witnesses reported intensified attacks on Thursday, just hours before the truce’s scheduled implementation, sparking concerns that Israel seeks to exploit the final hours of fighting to deepen Gaza’s suffering. 

Former North Sinai MP Siham Jibril voiced alarm over Israel’s actions, accusing it of systematically targeting the Rafah crossing and nearby areas to sabotage aid efforts.

“Israel’s actions undermine the ceasefire agreement and delay the urgent humanitarian relief needed to save lives in Gaza,” Jibril told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

She claimed that Egyptian medical and aid teams are ready to respond as soon as the ceasefire holds.

“This is a test of Israel’s commitment to peace and of Egypt’s ability to reopen vital lifelines for the Palestinian people,” the MP added. 

The destruction of Rafah’s infrastructure has left the crossing ill-equipped to handle the anticipated influx of aid and evacuees.

Meanwhile, Israel’s restrictions have reduced aid deliveries via the Karam Abu Salem crossing, also referred to as Kerem Shalom, to a mere fraction of pre-crisis levels. 

Egyptian political movements, including the Civil Democratic Movement, have urged swift and unimpeded access for goods and people through Rafah. In a statement, they welcomed the ceasefire agreement, which includes the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the return of displaced Palestinians, and the release of prisoners. 

“We demand the immediate opening of all crossings and the full restoration of sovereignty over the Gaza-Egypt border,” the movement’s statement read.