‘Gaza exit may open soon’

PH, int’l aid agencies cautiously optimistic on crucial border with Egypt

The shuttered Rafah crossing—the only way out of Gaza Strip bordering Egypt that bypasses Israel— could be reopened “any day now,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

“The Israelis and Egyptians are still coordinating on the process because they do not want Hamas to leave Gaza and enter Egypt. That is a problem,” DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said.

“They are working on border arrangements. Let’s see because the Israeli ambassador said it could be any day now,” he added.

The cautious optimism that the border would be reopened was palpable at the Egyptian side as relief convoys which have been waiting for days on Tuesday headed towards the Rafah crossing, aid officials said.

“We have arrived at the terminal and are now waiting for the next step,” said Heba Rashed, who runs the aid group Mersal.

Hundreds more lorries were headed along the coast road for the 40 kilometer journey from the Egyptian city of El Arish to Rafah, other aid officials said.

“We’ve not been told what time we’re going to cross but we were asked to head for Rafah,” the Egyptian Red Crescent official said, asking not to be identified.

“You could say we’re nearing a deal on the entry of aid and the exit of foreigners,” said the official, who was himself headed to Rafah.

The blockaded territory has been under sustained Israeli bombardment since Gaza’s ruling militant group Hamas launched its bloody onslaught against Israel on Oct. 7.

So far Egypt has kept the Rafah crossing closed to aid going in or foreign nationals trying to flee, as Israel has repeatedly struck the Palestinian side of the crossing.

De Vega said out of the 131 Filipinos now in thw southern part of Gaza, 92 have requested to be repatriated.

Only around half of the total number are Filipinos from the Philippines, while the rest are their children with Palestinian spouses, De Vega added.

He likewise confirmed reports that Filipinos stranded in Gaza are running out of food and some have reportedly resorted to eating spoiled bread.

“They risk running out of food if they just stayed at the border crossing. That is why they are moving around southern Gaza where they can find shelter and food,” De Vega said.

Search and rescue operations are also underway for the three Filipinos in Israel who remain missing, he said.

“It is possible, but we are hoping they are not in Gaza, that they are still in Israel, and that there is still hope,” De Vega added

The Israeli military launched its devastating bombardment after Hamas militants broke through the heavily fortified border, shooting, stabbing and burning to death more than 1,400 people.

The reprisals have killed at least 2,750 people in Gaza, according to health officials in the territory. The casualties on both sides have mostly been civilians.

The European Union will launch a humanitarian air corridor to Gaza through Egypt with the first flights expected this week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

“Palestinians in Gaza are in need of humanitarian help and aid. That is why… we are launching an EU humanitarian air bridge to Gaza through Egypt. The first two flights will start this week,” Von der Leyen told a press conference in the Albanian capital Tirana, where she attended a regional Balkan summit.

The operation is consisting of “several flights to Egypt to bring lifesaving supplies to humanitarian organisations on the ground in Gaza”, a statement from the Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) department said.

The first two flights this week will be carrying humanitarian cargo from UNICEF including shelter items, medicines and hygiene kits, it said. — Rey E. Requejo