President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi spoke by phone Friday, during which they discussed developments in the Gaza Strip. Biden expressed his deep appreciation for Egypt’s intensive, diligent, and ongoing mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire and a truce agreement in the region. They agreed on the need to intensify international efforts to ensure the success of the negotiation process and to bring about a breakthrough that would end the ongoing humanitarian tragedy faced by the Palestinian people. Biden agreed to send a high-level team to Cairo next week for further discussions.
Quick Read
- U.S. President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi spoke by phone Friday, during which they discussed developments in the Gaza Strip.
- Biden expressed his deep appreciation for Egypt’s intensive, diligent, and ongoing mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire and a truce agreement in the region. They agreed on the need to intensify international efforts to ensure the success of the negotiation process and to bring about a breakthrough that would end the ongoing humanitarian tragedy faced by the Palestinian people.
- In this context, the two presidents discussed the difficult humanitarian situation for Palestinians in Gaza, including the lack of basic necessities and the shortage of fuel for hospitals and bakeries. They agreed to push for the delivery of humanitarian aid and fuel to the United Nations at the Kerem Shalom crossing on a temporary basis until a legal mechanism can be established to reopen the Rafah crossing from the Palestinian side.
- The call also emphasized the necessity of consolidating various efforts to implement a two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy decisions. Additionally, the presidents reaffirmed their rejection of any attempts to displace Palestinians from their land and expressed their support for all means aimed at preventing the escalation and expansion of the conflict.
- Egypt Agrees to Send Humanitarian Aid and Fuel to Gaza Through Kerem Shalom Crossing: Egypt has agreed to send humanitarian aid trucks and fuel through Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza for the United Nations, following a call between President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and U.S. President Joe Biden. The aim is to reverse the dramatic drop in U.N. aid since Israel’s offensive on Rafah on May 6. However, U.N. officials report difficulties reaching the crossing due to ongoing fighting, making it unclear if the aid can be effectively delivered.
- Conditions for Aid Delivery and Rafah Crossing: Egypt halted cooperation with Israel on aid entry after Israeli troops seized the Rafah crossing. Egypt insists that Palestinian officials must resume control of Rafah before it can be reactivated. Most humanitarian aid previously flowed through Rafah. El-Sissi’s office confirmed that trucks will temporarily send aid and fuel to Kerem Shalom, but Rafah will remain closed until a legal framework is established.
- The U.N. has stated that the security situation near Kerem Shalom often prevents them from collecting the aid, despite commercial trucks continuing to bring food and supplies for Gaza markets.
The Associated Press has the story:
Biden & Egypt’s El-Sissi speak by phone, discuss developments in Gaza
Newslooks- WASHINGTON- (AP)
President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi spoke by phone Friday, during which they discussed developments in the Gaza Strip. Biden expressed his deep appreciation for Egypt’s intensive, diligent, and ongoing mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire and a truce agreement in the region. Biden agreed to send a high-level team to Cairo next week for further discussions.
They agreed on the need to intensify international efforts to ensure the success of the negotiation process and to bring about a breakthrough that would end the ongoing humanitarian tragedy faced by the Palestinian people.
In this context, the two presidents discussed the difficult humanitarian situation for Palestinians in Gaza, including the lack of basic necessities and the shortage of fuel for hospitals and bakeries. They agreed to push for the delivery of humanitarian aid and fuel to the United Nations at the Kerem Shalom crossing on a temporary basis until a legal mechanism can be established to reopen the Rafah crossing from the Palestinian side.
The call also emphasized the necessity of consolidating various efforts to implement a two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy decisions. Additionally, the presidents reaffirmed their rejection of any attempts to displace Palestinians from their land and expressed their support for all means aimed at preventing the escalation and expansion of the conflict.
El-Sissi agreed with Biden to temporarily send humanitarian aid and fuel to the United Nations via Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing until legal mechanisms are in place to reopen the Rafah Border Crossing from the Palestinian side, the Egyptian presidency announces.
Egypt says it has agreed to send humanitarian aid trucks and fuel through Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza for the United Nations, after a call between President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and U.S. President Joe Biden.
The agreement aims to reverse a dramatic drop in U.N. aid entering the Gaza Strip since Israel launched its offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah on May 6. Whether it will do so remains unclear, as U.N. officials say they are largely unable to reach the Kerem Shalom crossing to pick up the aid that enters, because fighting in the area makes it too dangerous.
Egypt had halted cooperation with Israel on entry of aid into Gaza after Israeli troops seized the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt during its offensive. Egypt says Palestinian officials must be put back in charge of Rafah crossing. Most humanitarian aid for Gaza comes from Egypt, and most of that was previously flowing on trucks through Rafah.
In a statement Friday, el-Sissi’s office said he had spoken by phone with Biden and agreed to temporarily send trucks carrying humanitarian aid and fuel for the United Nations to the Kerem Shalom crossing. It said Rafah crossing would not be reactivated until a legal framework is found.
The U.N. has said it can rarely reach Kerem Shalom to pick up the entering aid because of the untenable security situation. Commercial trucks have continued to flow through the crossing, bringing food and other supplies for sale in Gaza markets.
