Josep Borrell arrives in Egypt as Gaza humanitarian crisis worsens
The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, has arrived in Egypt for talks with Egyptian President El-Sisi on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Their discussions will cover the EU’s role in alleviating the human suffering caused by Israel’s war in Gaza, as well as ceasefire mediation efforts by Egypt, the US and Qatar.
"Today the most urgent thing is to make these ambulances to enter or to receive the wounded people. And that's why the European Union is ready to present their capacities to offer their logistic capacities in order to reopen these border and to have the European staff deploy on the other side of this border in order to border to be open," said Borrell.
Borrell spoke from the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing with Gaza, where he is expected to inaugurate an EU-funded project to help Gazan children and their caregivers in Egypt.
Borrell’s visit is part of the EU's ongoing engagement mission aimed at preventing further regional escalation.
He will also travel to Lebanon later this week to discuss the country's stability and its role in the wider Middle East conflict.
The European External Action Service (EEAS) said that Borrell's visit takes place "against the background of the war in Gaza, where the catastrophic humanitarian situation and the fate of hostages make an urgent ceasefire ever more critical".
Gaza is on the brink of famine and healthcare collapse due to repeated Israeli strikes that have decimated the region in retaliation for the Hamas terrorist attacks and hostage-taking in Israel on 7 October last year.
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Borrell's visit comes at a time of heightened tension after a Jordanian lorry driver shot and killed three Israelis at the Allenby Bridge crossing point between Jordan and the West Bank on Sunday.
The trip to Egypt also follows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's calls last week for Israeli forces to remain in the Salah Al Din corridor in Gaza near the Egyptian border. The status of the area would constitute a significant part of any ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
The article has been updated with latest developments.
