CAIRO (Palestine Foundation Information Center) Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Atti said that the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip will soon be reopened once preparations are completed on the Palestinian side, in the presence of European monitors.
Abdel Atti explained in a recorded interview with Cairo News Channel on Monday evening that humanitarian and medical aid is currently being delivered at good rates, exceeding the agreed number of 600 trucks per day.
He added that Egypt is providing all possible facilitation, and assistance is entering through the Kerem Shalom crossing, while operations at the Rafah crossing will commence once the Palestinian side finishes its preparations.
He added that the Egyptian side is ready, but Israel has destroyed many facilities on the Palestinian side of the crossing, and there will be monitors from the European Union.
Earlier, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated that EU foreign ministers agreed to resume the monitoring mission at the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.
Borrell noted that the bloc will resume its civilian monitoring mission at the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, adding, “Everyone agreed that the EU border assistance mission at the Rafah crossing can play a crucial role in supporting the ceasefire.”
He clarified that EU foreign ministers approved the redeployment of the European mission at the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, indicating that its presence will allow 300 war-injured individuals to leave Gaza daily for medical care.
Since May 24, 2024, humanitarian aid has been entering the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing (controlled by Israel) after the occupying army seized the Rafah crossing and destroyed and burned parts of it as part of an operation it began in the city of Rafah on the seventh of May, 2024.
The ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, which began its first phase on January 19, stipulates the entry of 600 trucks of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip daily and the opening of the Rafah crossing seven days after the agreement is implemented.
The ceasefire agreement in Gaza also includes a prisoner exchange in three phases, each lasting 42 days.
