Will the Rafah Border Crossing open? US President Biden makes statement on humanitarian aid to Palestine
US President Joe Biden announced that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has agreed to open the Rafah Border Crossing and allow the passage of approximately 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza.
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Following the attack on the Al-Ahli Arab (Baptist) Hospital in Gaza City, US President Joe Biden held a phone call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi while on his way back from visiting Tel Aviv, Israel. Speaking to reporters at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where his presidential aircraft Air Force One had landed for refueling, Biden announced that Sisi had agreed to open the Rafah Border Crossing and allow the passage of approximately 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Stating that the aid would be halted if Hamas were to seize it, Biden noted that the roads damaged by the conflict would first need to be repaired. Biden added that Sisi, who displayed a cooperative attitude, deserved praise for this matter.
STATEMENT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE
In a written statement from the White House regarding the Biden-Sisi call, it was noted that the parties discussed efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza and mechanisms to ensure the aid reaches the civilian population. The statement said, "The two leaders agreed to work in close coordination to encourage an urgent and robust international response to the UN's humanitarian appeal," and added that Biden and Sisi reached a consensus on the need to "preserve stability in the Middle East, prevent the escalation of conflict, and ensure lasting peace in the region."
HE HAD VISITED ISRAEL
The four-way summit planned to be held in Amman, the capital of Jordan, with the participation of US President Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, King Abdullah II of Jordan, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, had been canceled following the attack on the hospital in Gaza. Following this development, Biden traveled to Tel Aviv, Israel, where he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Regarding the hospital attack, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people, Biden commented, "It appears as though it was done by the other team, not you."