Egypt’s Rafah crossing – the only entry into the besieged Gaza Strip – is “expected” to open tomorrow, World Health Organization officials said at a news conference on Thursday.
The U.N. agency’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told a news conference that the agency has enough supplies to care for the 2,000 patients waiting on the Egyptian side of the border, with another 80,000 pounds of supplies due to arrive next week.
WHO officials say five truckloads of supplies are ready to go when borders open, but they need to make sure those delivering the supplies can do so safely.
Dr. Teresa Zakaria, the health emergency official, said deconfliction not only ensures no casualties are caused during deliveries, it also helps officials ensure supplies reach civilians in need and don’t fall into the hands of terrorists. to the World Health Organization.
Still, officials from multiple organizations and countries have been saying for days that borders would open immediately, to no avail. Opening the border requires cooperation from both Egypt and Israel, with each controlling its side of the gate and Hamas ensuring the group does not interfere.
Dr. Michael Ryan, the organization’s executive director of health emergencies, said that even if it opens tomorrow as promised, the roads have been “significantly damaged” in the course of the war.
He said there was “a long way to go” in ensuring that even a few truckloads of supplies made it safely across the border and into the right hands.
“I will pray – and I don’t pray often – that the border opens tomorrow,” he added.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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