Egypt is ‘Committed’ to Israeli Withdrawal of Rafah

The Egyptian Al-Qahera news agency has quoted a senior Egyptian source confirming that Egypt adheres to its position regarding “Israel’s” withdrawal from the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing to resume its humanitarian operation.

The senior source revealed that the delegations of Egypt, the United States, and the Israelis concluded their meeting in Cairo to discuss the restoration of the Rafah crossing, as previously reported by Al-Qahera.

The Egyptian delegation remained fully committed to “Israel’s” withdrawal from the crossing, as well as affirming that “Israel” bears full responsibility for the blocking of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The source confirmed that the Egyptian delegation stressed the necessity of immediate action to bring at least 350 aid trucks into the Gaza Strip daily, including all necessary materials, whether food, medical supplies, or fuel.

The Israeli occupation army launched an invasion of densely populated Rafah earlier this month, which coincided with the shutting down of the only two crossings delivering aid to southern Gaza; the Rafah and Karem Abu Salem crossings.

The broadcaster cited a senior source saying Egypt is demanding that Israeli occupation forces(IOF) withdraw completely from the Rafah border post so that operations may resume.

The Israeli occupation forces claimed Wednesday they had gained “operational control” over the crucial Philadelphi corridor along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

“We have established operational control” over the 14-kilometer (8.5-mile) corridor, a military official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

According to Netanyahu and top Israeli military officials, taking control of Rafah is essential to secure “absolute victory” in the genocidal war no nearing its eighth-month mark.

This development follows closely on the heels of Israeli forces taking control of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on May 7, marking the beginning of their ground assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah. 

Nowhere is safe

Rafah witnessed in the past 12 days the most violent Israeli bombardment since the war began.

The occupation committed a number of massacres against families residing in the small city, most notably the killing of over 40 Palestinians in a bombing of a tent city in al-Mawasi sheltering thousands of forcibly displaced Palestinians. The occupation army has forced Palestinians fleeing Rafah to move to al-Mawasi, claiming it was a “safe zone”. Most of the massacre’s martyrs were women and children.

Footage of the massacre showing slaughtered children and incinerated bodies sparked global outrage, leading to wide condemnation of the Israeli crime, including from the entity’s closest allies.

The invasion expanded, reaching Rafah City, with tanks entering crowded residential neighborhoods and streets coupled with intense airstrikes and shelling.