On the tenth day of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the foreign ministers of France and Egypt demanded on Monday that humanitarian aid be sent to the bombarded Gaza Strip and that foreigners leave.
Foreign Minister of France Catherine Colonna stated that “those who want to leave Gaza must be able to do so” while calling for the opening of crossing points. “
The only entrance and exit from Gaza not under Israeli control is at the Rafah border crossing, which is under Egyptian control.
According to AFP, a US official said on Saturday that Egypt and Israel had agreed to allow American citizens to leave through Rafah.
Although Sameh Shoukry, the top diplomat in Cairo, told reporters on Monday that Egypt had “repeated its request to Israeli authorities for humanitarian aid to pass through.”
Nothing new, according to Shoukry, “is a dangerous matter considering the new needs that the Palestinian people in Gaza are being exposed to.”
In a statement released on Monday, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that “there is currently no ceasefire and humanitarian aid in Gaza in exchange for removing foreigners.”.
According to AFP, the crossing was still closed as of Monday afternoon, trapping escaping foreigners and Palestinians on one side of the border and aid convoys on the other.
Israel has declared a “complete siege” on Gaza, cutting off supplies to the territory’s 2 point 4 million residents, and the UN has repeatedly warned of the dire humanitarian situation there.
In retaliation for a Hamas militant attack that left 1,400 people dead in Israel on October 7, Israeli airstrikes have killed 2,750 people in Gaza.
In Gaza, where Colonna stated that “civilians must be protected and their basic needs met,” a million people have reportedly been displaced, according to the United Nations.
Colonna stated on Monday that Paris “welcomes Egypt’s initiative” for an international summit on the conflict in light of the lack of progress made by diplomatic efforts.
It would “demonstrate that there is a political horizon that can take into account Israel’s right to security and the right of the Palestinians to a state,” she claimed.
Egypt was the first Arab nation to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, and it has long served as a major mediator between Israeli and Palestinian authorities, particularly during conflicts with Hamas.
Colonna stated on Monday that Egypt, which has been urged to accept Gazan refugees, “must not bear the brunt of the conflict.”
Cairo has rejected the call, warning of yet another forced Palestinian eviction, and instead urging restraint and diplomatic de-escalation efforts.
AFP.
