The agreement with Israel during yesterday’s visit by US President Joe Biden
Humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip could begin passing through the Rafah crossing on Friday, according to news reports today, as the war between Israel and Hamas enters its third week. The turning point in support for the civilian population of Gaza came with US President Joe Biden’s lightning mission to Tel Aviv. The president said he was satisfied with the visit to Israel and the meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, underlining how it was achieved the key objective of unlocking aid for Gaza.
The aid agreement
Air Force One, after its hit and run in the Middle East, landed at Andrews Air Base at 12.14pm local time after a lightning mission which ended with talks with Egyptian President al-Sisi.
Under the agreement announced yesterday, 20 trucks loaded with aid for Gaza will begin moving through the Rafah crossing with Egypt on Friday. According to White House officials, Egypt must first repair the road across the border that was hit in Israeli airstrikes. More than 200 trucks and around 3,000 tonnes of aid are waiting at the Rafah crossing, Gaza’s only connection with Egypt, explained the head of the Red Crescent for Northern Sinai, Khalid Zayed.
This is vital aid for the civilian population who have had to live with Israeli raids for 2 weeks and have to resist without water and electricity, given the suspension of supplies. Furthermore, the exodus towards the south of the Gaza Strip has been underway for days, following Israeli communications regarding 1.1 million people.
Biden-al Sisi
The framework was closed late in the Italian evening yesterday while Biden was flying to Washington. The President of the United States and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the White House informs, discussed coordination to provide humanitarian assistance and mechanisms to ensure that aid is distributed for the benefit of the civilian population.
Biden and Sisi agreed to work together to foster an urgent and strong international response to the UN’s humanitarian appeal. Furthermore, they agreed on the need to preserve stability in the Middle East, prevent the escalation of conflict and create the circumstances for lasting and permanent peace in the region.
China’s help
In the picture, the inclusion of China should be noted. Beijing hopes to collaborate with Egypt to bring “greater stability” to the Middle East region. This was declared today by Chinese President Xi Jinping speaking with the Egyptian Prime Minister: “China hopes to be able to strengthen cooperation with Egypt… and instill greater security and stability in the region and in the world”, said Xi speaking with Mostafa Madbouli during a meeting in Beijing. This was reported by the Chinese broadcaster CCTV.
“China and Egypt are good friends who share the same goals and trust each other, good partners who work side by side for common development and prosperity,” Xi said. “Currently,” she added, “the international and regional situation is undergoing profound and complex changes, and the world is experiencing rapid changes that have not been seen for a century.”
Beijing – he concluded – is also in favor of collaborating with Cairo to “jointly safeguard international equity and justice as well as the common interests of developing countries”.
Source-www.adnkronos.com