Egyptian media reported today, Sunday, that humanitarian aid trucks have begun arriving at the Karem Abu Salem crossing, coming from the Rafah crossing in preparation for entry into the Gaza Strip. Earlier, media reported that 200 trucks carrying humanitarian aid departed from in front of the Rafah crossing to the Karem Abu Salem crossing in preparation for entering Gaza. Cairo News TV stated that the aid is food-related and that four trucks are carrying fuel for the region. It added that the aid will be delivered to the United Nations on the Palestinian side, with each truck carrying between 15 and 20 tons of assistance.
On Friday, the Egyptian presidency announced that President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and his American counterpart Joe Biden agreed on the necessity of delivering amounts of humanitarian aid and fuel to be handed over to the United Nations at the Karem Abu Salem crossing temporarily. The presidency stated that the delivery of aid through the Karem Abu Salem crossing will be temporary until "a legal mechanism is reached to reactivate the Rafah crossing from the Palestinian side."
The Egyptian-American agreement came during a phone call between the two presidents, during which they discussed developments in the Gaza Strip. They emphasized the "necessity of intensifying international efforts to succeed in the negotiation process and achieve a breakthrough to end the tragedy experienced by the Palestinian people." The two leaders also reiterated, according to the Egyptian presidency, their rejection of all attempts to displace Palestinians and their support to prevent the expansion of the conflict. The call also included a confirmation of the "necessity of coordinating various efforts to implement the two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy."
In a statement issued later by the White House, Biden welcomed "Sisi's commitment to allowing the flow of humanitarian assistance provided by the United Nations from Egypt through the Karem Abu Salem crossing temporarily, for distribution throughout Gaza." Biden expressed his "full commitment to supporting efforts aimed at reopening the Rafah crossing under arrangements acceptable to both Egypt and Israel," noting that a high-level team will be sent to Cairo this week for further discussions on the matter.
In Ramallah, the Palestinian presidency stated in a statement that an agreement was reached to allow the entry of relief aid into the Gaza Strip through the Karem Abu Salem crossing temporarily, following communications with Egypt, until "an agreement is reached on operating the official Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing."
