Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed on Friday to send temporary humanitarian aid and fuel through the Kerem Shalom crossing until a mechanism is established to reopen the Rafah crossing from the Palestinian side. Sisi received a phone call from Biden, during which they discussed the ongoing situation in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.
The two presidents examined the difficult humanitarian conditions for Palestinians in Gaza, highlighting the lack of basic necessities and the critical shortage of fuel needed for hospitals and bakeries. The statement noted, "The two presidents agreed on providing quantities of humanitarian aid and fuel to be delivered to the United Nations at the Kerem Shalom crossing, temporarily, until a legal mechanism is reached for the operation of the Rafah crossing from the Palestinian side."
Israel had recently taken control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, halting the flow of aid from the Egyptian side. Additionally, the White House stated that Biden welcomed Egypt's commitment to allowing humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing. It also confirmed that the U.S. president will send a high-level team to Cairo next week to efforts to reopen the Rafah crossing.
In this context, the Palestinian presidency confirmed the agreement to temporarily allow the entry of relief aid into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing until an agreement is reached to operate the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing. Residents of Gaza are on the brink of famine as aid delivery slows significantly, alongside warnings of a further worsening humanitarian crisis in the area.
