Palestinian women mourn over the shrouded bodies of 3 children killed in an Israeli bombing in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, in front of the al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital on July 13, 2024. AFP
The high-level source warned that Israel is still pursuing policies that risk further escalation in the region and underscored Cairo's unwavering stance on the complete withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing.
They also stressed Egypt's firm position that Israel should not impose any restrictions on the movement of Palestinians, humanitarian, relief, and medical aid to and from the Gaza Strip by immediately opening all land crossings into the Palestinian territory.
In recent days, the Israeli army has carried out a mad campaign of bombing in and around Gaza City in northern Gaza, killing and injuring hundreds of Palestinians.
Earlier today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the most recent Israeli airstrikes that killed 71 and injured 289 Palestinians in a camp for the war-displaced in the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis.
In a statement, the foreign ministry urged Israel to halt its disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians and to uphold essential humanitarian standards as mandated by international law.
It added that Israel's actions against unarmed civilians are unacceptable and cannot be justified or limited by any statute of limitations.
The Israeli escalation comes as mediators from Egypt, the US, and Qatar attempt to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Doha.
Rafah crossing
On 7 May, Israel took over the Palestinian side of the crossing between Gaza and Egypt for the first time since Tel Aviv pulled out its soldiers and settlers from the strip in 2005.
Since then, Egypt has demanded the complete withdrawal of the Israeli troops from the Palestinian side of the crossing.
Moreover, Cairo has rejected any coordination with the Israeli side on the Rafah border crossing with Gaza, stressing that only Egyptians and Palestinians have the right to manage the crossing,
Not a single aid truck has entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing since the Israeli assault on Rafah, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
In light of this, Egypt coordinated with the United Nations to facilitate the entry of several trucks into the strip through the Karm Abu Salem border crossing connecting Egypt-Gaza-Israel.
Short link: