(CNN) – US President Joe Biden said Wednesday that his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, had agreed to open the Rafah crossing to Gaza for humanitarian aid after a phone call with the Biden Air Force. One was when he returned to America from Israel.
Biden told reporters traveling with him: “Sisi initially agreed to allow up to 20 trucks to go through,” and continued: “My ambassador is now in Cairo, he will coordinate this matter, and I have the authority to do what he needs. To get this done.”
The US president noted that he had been talking to CC “the entire time Air Force One was on the runway at Ramstein Air Base refueling” and added that “that’s why we didn’t take off”. He held “very frank talks” with Sisi.
Biden said, “The road to Gaza needs to be repaired and the potholes filled before the trucks can pass through, and it will take about 8 hours on Thursday to complete the work,” adding that he expected the trucks to move on Friday.
He added that the crossing would only be open for aided entry, not exit, and for this purpose “it would not allow many people to leave”.
“If they cross the border, the United Nations will be on the other side and then the distribution will be done, which will take some time to prepare,” he said.
“If Hamas confiscates aid or doesn’t allow it to go through, that will end the matter because we will not send humanitarian aid to Hamas,” he vowed.
For its part, the Egyptian presidential office said in a statement posted on Facebook that Sisi received a phone call from Biden, “focusing on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, where it was agreed to bring humanitarian aid into the Strip through Rafah. In coordination with international humanitarian organizations under the supervision of the United Nations to secure the arrival of aid in both countries.” Constantly cross with relevant authorities in
“Creator. Award-winning problem solver. Music evangelist. Incurable introvert.”
