Rafah border opens for another 17 aid trucks, too little to suffice

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
22 Oct 2023 15:49
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The new batch of trucks brings the total amount of aid trucks to just 37 - while the United Nations estimates that around 100 trucks per day are required to suffice the needs of Gaza and its people.

This aerial view shows humanitarian aid trucks arriving at a storage facility in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on October 21, 2023, after crossing the Rafah border (AFP)

AFP correspondents relay that 17 aid trucks have crossed the Rafah border passage today for the second day in a row, from Egypt into Gaza.

These trucks arrive the day after the first 20 trucks carrying medical aid, food, and water crossed into Gaza - bringing the total amount of aid trucks to just 37 - while the United Nations estimates that around 100 trucks per day are required to suffice the needs of Gaza and its people.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Cairo reported last week that approximately 100 trucks carrying 1,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid are waiting to enter from Egypt into the Gaza Strip.

"Israel" has cut off water, food, and energy supplies to the Strip, which has made life unbearable for more than 2 million Gazans and has left over 4,000 martyrs. Thus, a glaring question arises: What will aid trucks do to a besieged population in the world's largest "open-air prison"?

Arab and Western delegations at the "Cairo Peace Summit" yesterday were supposed to reach a potential agreement to solve the matter and stop the atrocities against the Palestinians. However, reports of a dispute, according to Al Mayadeen's correspondent, hindered getting to a closing statement. Moreover, the correspondent added that Western delegations rejected the call to permanently open the Rafah border crossing. There were also reports of efforts made by Western delegations to make sure that no final statement was issued in the first place by the Summit.

A 'second Nakba'

Humanitarian aid destined for Palestinians faces uncertainty, with growing concerns about the deteriorating conditions for the population trapped in the besieged Strip amid non-stop hysteric bombardment.

Cairo is facing increased pressure to allow Palestinians to flee into Egypt, while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday that the forced displacement of the Gazans would lead to a "second Nakba."

"Israel" bombed Rafah yesterday and last week, leaving an entire family in the Strip's south murdered. The shelling resulted in scores of casualties being reported between martyrs and wounded due to the occupation's extensive shelling.

At the same time, Egypt denied the closure of the land crossing between Egypt and Gaza at any point during the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Strip. However, it experienced irregularities in its operation due to the repeated Israeli airstrikes that damaged its essential facilities on the Palestinian side.