After receiving international pressure to begin admitting Palestinian refugees from Gaza, Egypt has stated it is considering the move but is hesitant to allow the tensions to migrate into its own borders.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Cairo on Sunday, asking to increase their aid for the situation. Egypt has also received pressure from the UN, Britain, France, the Netherlands, and the EU.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said on Tuesday Oct. 10 that the escalation of the conflict was “highly dangerous” and confirmed Egypt was pushing for peace negotiations. He told Egyptian state news agency MENA that Egypt will not allow the conflict to be settled at the “expense” of others, which has been interpreted as him voicing his opposition to the admittance of Palestinian refugees.
Thousands of Palestinians have gathered at the Rafah crossing which borders southern Gaza and Egypt, but it remains shut.
Africa correspondent @YousraElbagir states "people will continue to suffer" until "diplomatic efforts succeed."https://t.co/a87Y6ShaFh
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Egypt borders the Gaza Strip to the south, Egypt often plays a mediatory role with the Islamist militant group Hamas that launched the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. But Egypt also cooperates with Israel on things like the blockade it has imposed on Gaza since Hamas seized control over the region in 2007.
Israel has been air striking Rafah, the sole access point from Gaza into Egypt since the conflict broke out. Late Sunday night, Egyptian officials informed border authorities that American citizens were allowed to flee Gaza into Egypt, but President El-Sisi emphasized it was unacceptable to let in floods of Gazan refugees.
After American citizens are allowed in, Egypt according to one plan will then permit American dual nationals and other Western nationalities, then UN and other NGO workers, and finally employees of international corporations.
On Monday morning (Oct. 16), a ceasefire had been agreed upon to allow aid and evacuations through Rafah, according to two Egyptian security sources that spoke to Reuters.
But this claim was later disputed by Hamas official Izzat El-Reshiq and an Egyptian state TV report, who claimed no ceasefire was declared.
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One source located in Rafah said Egypt was ready to permit the crossing. According to Reuters, hundreds of tons of aid from charities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were at the border as of midday Monday (EST), waiting for approval to move into Gaza.
“We are waiting for the green light for the aid to enter and dozens of volunteers are ready at any time,” said a Red Crescent official in northern Sinai.
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