After discussions with U.S. President Joe Biden, Israel has consented to allow Egyptian humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The goal is to ease the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region. However, Israel sets one condition: the aid cannot benefit Hamas, the governing group in Gaza.
Before this, Egypt had stored aid near its border with Gaza. Yet, due to Israeli airstrikes, trucks couldn’t cross into the territory.
On October 7, after a Hamas attack, Israel imposed a full blockade on Gaza. This cut off electricity and stopped food and fuel deliveries.
The United Nations warned about a humanitarian crisis. Israel now says it will permit aid, but only food, water, and medicine.
These supplies can go to civilians in southern Gaza but not Hamas. Meanwhile, Israel will keep its aid blockade until its captured citizens return.
Aid trucks from Egypt are moving closer to the Rafah crossing. This crossing links Egypt and Gaza.
Unfortunately, an absence of safe-passage agreements has halted their progress. Before Biden’s visit, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken talked with Israeli officials.
They agreed to create a plan to get aid into Gaza, but no specific timeframe exists yet.
Egypt says the Rafah crossing isn’t officially closed. However, Israeli military action has made it practically unusable.