Fait accompli policy regarding Rafah border crossing rejected: Egypt
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Egypt reportedly rejects "Israel's" policy of fait accompli and reaffirms that the Rafah border crossing is and must remain Egyptian-Palestinian.
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Egyptian truck drivers carrying humanitarian aid chat as they wait to cross the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Palestine's Gaza Strip, Egypt, March.23, 2024. (AP)
A private Egyptian source described as "high-ranking" confirmed to Cairo News that Egypt will not stand idly by in the face of the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He emphasized that Egypt is committed to finding solutions to aid the region and stressed that Cairo "will not accept the policy of fait accompli" that "Israel" is trying to impose.
The source's comments followed an Egyptian-American agreement to send aid to Gaza through the Karem Abu Salem crossing.
The source stated that the Rafah border crossing is an Egyptian-Palestinian crossing and that Egypt will resume sending aid through an agreed-upon mechanism coordinated with the Palestinian Authority. He emphasized that "Egypt will continue to resist any attempts to undermine the Palestinian cause or isolate Gaza from the world."
The same source, whose identity was not disclosed by the channel, noted that "Egypt and the US agreed to temporarily send aid through the Karem Abu Salem crossing, stemming from Egypt's commitment to alleviate the impact of aid shortages." He added that "Egypt is dedicated to mitigating the shortage of aid by sending it through Kerem Abu Salem until the Rafah crossing returns to normal operations."
The source also confirmed that Egypt is committed to the principles of the Palestinian cause and refuses the policy of fait accompli being imposed on the ground. He stressed Egypt's determination to find temporary solutions to deliver fuel to Gaza to ensure the operation of the hospitals that have ceased functioning.
Egypt, US agree to send aid through Karem Abu Salem crossing
Egypt and the US agreed on Friday to temporarily provide humanitarian supplies to the United Nations in Gaza through the Karem Abu Salem crossing until legal measures are developed to restore the Rafah border crossing from the Palestinian side, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency.
The deal was prompted by "the difficult humanitarian situation of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the lack of means of life in the Strip, and the lack of fuel needed for hospitals and bakeries," according to the statement, which highlighted that US President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi struck an agreement over the phone.
The two leaders also agreed to step up global efforts to make the Gaza ceasefire negotiations a success and halt the "prolonged human tragedy experienced by the Palestinian people," the statement further read.
This comes as WAFA news agency also reported, citing a statement issued by the Palestinian presidency, that the Palestinian Authority and Egypt agreed to temporarily send humanitarian aid to Gaza through the Karem Abu Salem crossing until an agreement is reached to reopen the Rafah crossing.
Read more: EU in early talks to deploy mission to Rafah crossing amid US push
