GAZA, Saturday, October 21, 2023 (WAFA) - The Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt was opened at around 10 in the morning today to bring in medical supplies and food into the besieged Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to continuous Israeli aggression for 15 days that led to the deaths and injury of thousands, displacement of about one million people, the complete destruction of the infrastructure, and a collapse in the health system.

Egyptian trucks loaded with badly needed supplies which have been waiting on the Egyptian side of the crossing for days waiting for the crossing to open unloaded their cargo on Palestinian trucks to take them into Gaza.

According to the Red Crescent, the first relief convoy to enter Gaza included 20 trucks, which Palestinians say would not meet more than a fraction of the needs in Gaza after two weeks of total Israeli blockade that included water, food, electricity and fuel. Normally,  more than 500 trucks would enter Gaza every day with all sorts of supplies.

Israel bombed the crossing since the first days of its aggression, launched on October 7, to prevent the entry of any relief trucks from Egypt as part of its policy to suffocate and starve Gaza and its 2.2 million population. Workers repaired the damage yesterday to allow movement of the relief trucks.

The opening of the crossing comes after tireless efforts made by the Palestinian leadership headed by the President, and in full coordination with the brothers in Egypt headed by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and the Arab, regional and international parties.

President Abbas yesterday headed to Cairo to meet with a large number of world leaders carrying with him the message of the Palestinian people calling for stopping the aggression, preventing displacement, and quickly delivering medical and relief materials to the Gaza Strip, and that the Palestine Liberation Organization is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

M.K.