On Tuesday, May 14, Israel said that Egypt should reopen the Rafah crossing and allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. At the same time, Egypt condemned what it called "desperate attempts" to shift the blame for blocking aid. This was reported by Reuters, according to UNN.
Details
The Rafah crossing between Egypt and the southern Gaza Strip has been a vital route for providing aid to the coastal area, where the humanitarian crisis has deepened and some people are at risk of starvation.
Since Israel seized control of the crossing on May 7, intensifying its military campaign around Rafah, aid has piled up on the Egyptian side of the border.
The key to preventing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza is now in the hands of our Egyptian friends
Katz said he had spoken with his British and German counterparts about "the need to convince Egypt to reopen the Rafah crossing," adding that he would also speak with Italy's foreign minister later on Tuesday.
The Palestinian militant group Hamas, which governs Gaza, will not "control the Rafah crossing," Katz said, citing security concerns that Israel "will not compromise on.
These comments provoked a swift and angry response from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which said that Israel was responsible for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and that Israeli military operations in Rafah were a major factor in blocking aid.
The Foreign Minister strongly condemned desperate attempts by the Israeli side to hold Egypt responsible for the unprecedented humanitarian crisis facing the Gaza Strip
Egypt said that the crossing point remained open throughout the conflict, which began between Israel and Hamas on October 7.
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Cairo was one of the mediators in the stalled ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas. But its relations with Israel deteriorated during the conflict, especially after the Israeli offensive in Rafah.
The United Nations and other international aid agencies have said that the closure of two crossings into southern Gaza - Rafah and Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom - has effectively cut off the enclave from outside aid.
Before the closure, the UN warned that Gaza was on the brink of famine.
Context
According to Israeli estimates, Israel launched its current offensive on Gaza after an attack on October 7 by Hamas-led militants who invaded Israeli communities near the enclave, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages.
CNN: Israel gathers troops for operation in Rafah14.05.24, 05:50 • [views_45245]