Egypt to receive wounded Gazans through key crossing

Egypt has planned to provide medical care for wounded Palestinians from the besieged Gaza Strip, starting this Wednesday. The decision comes after weeks of intense conflict, with the opening of a key border crossing to facilitate this crucial assistance, according to medical and security sources.

The border authority in Gaza, which is governed by Hamas, confirmed that Egypt has granted permission for 81 severely injured individuals to enter Egypt through the Rafah crossing, the only entry point not controlled by Israel. On Tuesday, an AFP photographer observed a significant number of ambulances gathering at the Rafah border.

This development occurs against the backdrop of continuous Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, resulting in a significant loss of life. The health ministry in Gaza reported that over 8,500 people, including more than 3,500 children, have tragically lost their lives in the ongoing conflict. The Israeli strikes were initiated in response to a Hamas militant attack on October 7, in which they infiltrated southern Israel, causing the deaths of 1,400 people, mostly civilians, as per Israeli officials.

Medical teams are expected to be on-site at the Rafah crossing on Wednesday to assess the condition of the arriving patients and determine the appropriate hospitals for their treatment, as mentioned by a medical official in Egypt’s city of El Arish in an interview with AFP. This information was also confirmed by a security source at the Rafah crossing, corroborated by the state-affiliated Al-Qahera news channel.

Additionally, plans are in place to construct a field hospital spanning an area of 1,300 square meters (approximately 14,000 square feet) in the city of Sheikh Zuweid, located in northern Sinai, about 15 kilometers (nine miles) from Rafah. This facility will serve as a critical care center for the injured Palestinians.

The United States has expressed hope that this move will enable hundreds of Palestinian-Americans stranded in Gaza to finally leave through the Rafah crossing. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, during a press conference in Washington, stated that “We do think we’ve made very good progress on this in just the past few hours” and added, “We would hope that any agreement to get any individuals out would also unlock the possibility of American citizens or their families and other foreign nationals coming out.”

US officials had previously reported an agreement with Egypt on the border crossing and accused Hamas of obstructing people from leaving. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had discussed the Rafah issue in phone conversations with leaders of Qatar, where Hamas maintains an office.

Many foreign governments have noted the dire situation in Gaza, with people from 44 countries and 28 agencies, including UN bodies, residing in the territory. The 2.4 million inhabitants of Gaza have been enduring bombardment without access to water or electricity and limited food supplies, following Israel’s decision to tighten its 16-year blockade in response to the Hamas attacks.

Israeli National Security Council chief Tzachi Hanegbi confirmed that Israel is in discussions with Egypt regarding the injured individuals. However, there remains a dispute over aid deliveries, with Egypt aiming to allow more trucks into Gaza, while Israel insists on searching only a limited number of vehicles each day.

The United States, while expressing support for Israel, has also emphasized the importance of humanitarian considerations and hopes that 100 trucks per day will be able to pass through the Rafah crossing.

This decision to open the crossing follows an Israeli strike on Gaza’s largest refugee camp, where the health ministry reported a tragic loss of at least 50 lives. Egypt has strongly condemned this strike, warning against the consequences of ongoing indiscriminate attacks targeting defenseless civilians, as expressed in a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry.