Egypt intensified its humanitarian role toward the Gaza Strip on Monday, as Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty visited the Rafah border crossing with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and Egyptian Social Solidarity Minister Maya Morsi. The visit marked the first by a Palestinian premier to the crossing.
During the tour, Abdelatty said Egypt has provided more than 70% of all humanitarian aid that has entered Gaza since the Israeli war began in October 2023. He stressed that Rafah had never been closed, despite Israel’s destruction of the Palestinian side of the crossing, and reaffirmed Cairo’s efforts to push for a ceasefire, facilitate aid delivery, and treat the wounded in Egyptian hospitals.
On one aid box sent through the Egyptian Red Crescent, Abdelatty wrote a message of solidarity: “A message of love, solidarity and unity with our brothers in steadfast Gaza, from beloved Egypt – leadership, government and people.”
Meanwhile, on the ground, Hamas’s armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, released video footage showing explosives detonating against an Israeli bulldozer and ground troops in Jabalia, north of Gaza. The enclave’s Health Ministry reported that 60 Palestinians were killed and 344 wounded in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to over 62,000 and injuries to more than 156,000 since the war began—most of them women and children.
International criticism of Israel also intensified. Lawmakers from Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales called on the UK government to impose sanctions on Israel and halt arms sales, accusing it of creating “conditions for civilian starvation” in Gaza. Amnesty International charged that Israel was pursuing a deliberate starvation policy, citing testimonies from displaced Palestinians and medical workers treating malnourished children.
Gaza’s Government Media Office reported that only 1,937 aid trucks entered the enclave over 22 days, compared with the 13,200 required—less than 15% of needs. It accused Israel of enabling looting of much of the aid and continuing to obstruct flows, warning that Gaza requires more than 600 trucks daily to meet the minimum needs of its 2.4 million residents amid near-total infrastructure collapse.
Inside Israel, political pressure mounted on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused him of sabotaging prisoner-swap negotiations with Hamas to preserve his coalition, echoing criticism from families of hostages. US President Donald Trump also weighed in, tying the release of Israeli captives in Gaza to the “destruction” of Hamas. On his Truth Social platform, he claimed credit for freeing “hundreds of hostages” in past deals, ending “six wars in six months,” and “blowing up Iran’s nuclear facilities.”
Meanwhile, Gaza health officials warned of a deepening medical crisis. Munir al-Barsh, director-general of the enclave’s Health Ministry, said 70% of essential medicines were unavailable and anemia rates were soaring, with only two in ten people fit to donate blood. He welcomed the decision by UN agencies to maintain their presence in Gaza City despite escalating dangers.
