Egypt announced on Saturday the commencement in the establishment of a logistics centre in Rafah aimed at facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, which continues to face attacks and occupation by Israel.
Major General Muhammad Abdulfadil, Governor of North Sinai in Egypt, stated that the centre would be constructed in the border town, encompassing the Rafah Border Crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
Abdulfadil mentioned that the Egyptian army has already initiated construction of the centre in Al-Arish to support the operations of the Egyptian Red Crescent and alleviate congestion in the area and on the roads.
The center is planned to feature designated parking areas for trucks, secure warehouses, administrative offices, accommodation for drivers, as well as essential facilities like water and electricity.
Additionally, efforts are underway to transport aid to Gaza via trucks from the Al-Arish Port and the Al-Arish International Airport, with aid shipments arriving in the Sinai region by land, sea, and air.
Before Israel initiated attacks on the Gaza Strip, Rafah, situated on the southern border, housed around 280,000 Palestinians.
The assaults on October 7 led to the displacement of 1.9 million people in Gaza, where the population stands at about 2.3 million. Many of the displaced Palestinians sought refuge in Rafah, which Israel deemed as a “safe” area.
Consequently, Rafah’s population surged to over 1.4 million, surpassing its original size by more than fourfold. Those seeking shelter in Rafah now endure harsh conditions in makeshift tent camps due to a severe shortage of adequate housing.
Israeli airstrikes frequently target Rafah, raising concerns that a potential ground attack could leave civilians in Gaza without any safe havens. On February 9, Netanyahu instructed the army and security forces to develop a plan for an assault on Rafah.