Rafah crossing remains open to allow humanitarian relief, wounded Palestinians

BY

Egypt Today staff

-

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 - 11:55 GMT

BY

Egypt Today staff

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 - 11:55 GMT

A Palestinian boy waits with his family for a travel permit to cross into Egypt through the Rafah border crossing after it was opened by Egyptian authorities for humanitarian cases, REUTERS

A Palestinian boy waits with his family for a travel permit to cross into Egypt through the Rafah border crossing after it was opened by Egyptian authorities for humanitarian cases, REUTERS

CAIRO - 30 June 2020: Egyptian authorities kept the Rafah border crossing open Monday to receive wounded and stranded Palestinians and allow humanitarian relief assistance into the Gaza Strip.


According to official sources, Rafah, the only crossing point between Egypt and Palestine's Gaza Strip, will remain open on both sides to allow entry of relief materials into the Gaza Strip for the reconstruction of the impoverished Palestinian enclave after the widespread destruction it witnessed due to last month's Israeli onslaught.

A number of ambulances were on hand at the crossing to receive injured Palestinians and those in critical condition and move them to Egyptian hospitals for treatment.

The crossing has been open on an exceptional basis since May 16 upon the directives of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.

On May 7, clashes began between Israeli forces in the West Bank and Jerusalem and civilians as the latter were protesting forced displacement, particularly from Sheikh Jarrah in Eastern Jerusalem, and assaults on worshippers in Al Aqsa Mosque. And, on May 10-20, Israel shelled and carried out airstrikes against Gaza Strip.

The violence and aggression across Palestinian territories incurred 243 deaths, including 66 children, and 6,039 injuries, as reported by the Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA).

In Gaza Strip where most deaths occurred, injuries stood at 1,910. In the West Bank, 441 Palestinian protesters were shot with live rounds, and 172 were shot with rubber-coated bullets among other injuries caused by tear gas, and beating up. As for Palestinians who got detained in Jerusalem and the West Bank, the figure is 850.

The strikes also caused the destruction of more than 2,000 residential units in Gaza Strip while 15,000 others were partially damaged, according to AP. As a consequence, 50,000 Palestinians fled from the North to the South of Gaza Strip.

Last week, Head of the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) Heba Waly said that the manufacture of China’s Sinovac vaccine in Egypt will take between 8 to 16 weeks.

“We are racing against time to finish our work, as the manufacturing process will start within the current month” Waly said, adding that by the end of this year, VACSERA aims to produce 40 million doses of the vaccine.

Minister of Health Hala Zayed also said earlier that Egypt’s administration gives special interest in locally manufacturing the coronavirus vaccine.

Egypt plans to make Egypt a regional hub for producing the vaccine in Africa after meeting the local needs, as the Egyptian Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) would be the main manufacturer to the Chinese Sinovac in Africa, Zayed said while receiving Chinese experts from Sinovac at VACSERA HQ.

 

Comments

0

Leave a Comment

Be Social