The border crossing to Egypt is open – trucks on their way

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The border crossing to Egypt is open trucks on

Updated 09.53 | Published 09.40

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The border crossing in Rafah has opened.

Trucks loaded with food, medicine and medical supplies are now entering Gaza.

It is still unclear whether foreign nationals will be allowed to leave once the border opens.

After 13 days of Israeli blockade, there is a shortage of drinking water, food, fuel and medical supplies for the 2.4 million Gazans.

On the Egyptian side, over 200 trucks have been loaded with emergency aid ready to drive into Gaza. Now television images from Egyptian television show them starting to roll in across the border.

20 trucks loaded with medicines, medical supplies and foodstuffs are said to have received permission from Israel to enter.

Help “a drop in the ocean”

However, according to the UN and several aid organizations, it is “a drop in the ocean” compared to the needs that exist.

The decision to open the border must have been preceded by intensive diplomacy. During Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived at the border crossing.

There he emphasized that the decision was about life and death.

According to Al Jazeera, UN convoys are ready to enter Gaza, but will likely have to wait until Monday.

Already yesterday, Egypt announced that the border crossing was open, but later in the evening no trucks with emergency aid had entered Gaza. That when the road was damaged in several places and needed to be repaired.

The embassy warns of chaos

At the border, many people are hoping to get out of Gaza. According to the US Embassy in Israel, it can be opened to let foreign nationals out.

And if it opens to people, it is unclear for how long.

The embassy warns of chaos as many try to cross the border into Egypt.

“We expect that many people will try to cross the border and American citizens trying to get to Egypt should expect a potentially chaotic and disorderly environment on both sides of the border crossing,” the embassy wrote in a statement.

Several Swedish citizens are in Gaza and hope to get out via the Rafah crossing.

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