Machinery to repair roads has been sent through the Rafah border crossing from Egypt into the Gaza Strip in preparation for the delivery of some of the aid stockpiled in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, two security sources said on Thursday, APA reports citing Reuters.
Rafah is the only crossing out of Gaza not controlled by Israel but has been out of operation since the first days of the conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, following Israeli bombardments on the Palestinian side of the border.
The United States and Egypt have been pushing for a deal with Israel to get aid delivered to Gaza as conditions there worsen, and the White House said on Wednesday it had been agreed for up to 20 trucks to pass through, with hopes for more trucks later.
Diplomatic activity around the opening of the Rafah crossing has intensified, with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi receiving the top U.S. general overseeing troops in the Middle East as well as King Abdullah of Jordan, and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling in Cairo for aid to be delivered at scale and on a sustained basis.
Egypt is also hosting a summit on Saturday on the Gaza crisis and the future of the Palestinian issue, which Guterres is expected to attend.
"Egypt seeks to bring in the humanitarian aid piled up in front of the Egyptian side, and for this entry to be continuous, permanent and without interruption," Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said, speaking alongside Guterres.
Most of Gaza's 2.3 million residents depended on aid before the current conflict started on Oct. 7, and about 100 trucks daily were providing humanitarian relief to the enclave, according to the United Nations.
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