Egypt's role in mobile home delivery to Gaza encourages global action: Palestinian NGO Network

CAIRO – 20 February 2025: Amjad Shawa, Director of the Palestinian NGO Network, commended Egypt's substantial efforts in pressuring Israel to permit the entry of mobile homes into the Gaza Strip.

Trucks carrying 15 mobile homes and a bulldozer successfully crossed from the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing into the Karam Abu Salem crossing on Thursday in preparation for entry into Gaza, according to Al Qahera News.

Shawa emphasized to the Egyptian TV channel that these mobile homes would play a crucial role in offering hope to Palestinians by creating a noticeable improvement in the humanitarian situation.

He added that the mobile homes will provide shelter for thousands of families displaced by Israeli destruction, killing and aggression.

 

Shawa added that the entry of these homes signals to international organizations the urgent need to send more mobile homes, following the efforts made by Egypt and Qatar to facilitate their arrival in the enclave.

He expressed hope that such efforts would continue to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe facing the Palestinian people, warning that Israel is likely to continue obstructing the implementation of its commitments under humanitarian protocols and the ceasefire agreement.

Today’s delivery follows Hamas’s release of the first group of deceased captives it holds in Gaza, sending them to Israel through the Red Cross.

According to Hamas, the bodies include members of the Bibas family: a mother and her two children, as well as Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 years old at the time Hamas took over 250 captives from Israel on October 7, 2023.

Additionally, Hamas is scheduled to release six living Israeli captives on Saturday, which is double the number initially agreed upon in the swap.

Israeli media reported on Tuesday that Israel will start allowing the entry of mobile homes and heavy construction equipment but in a controlled manner, citing a senior Israeli official.

The official added that this permission aims to expedite the release of the six living captives agreed to be released by Hamas under phase one of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Hamas and Israel are bound by this ceasefire agreement that took effect on January 19 to halt over 15 months of war in the enclave, which killed more than 48,000 people, most of whom are women and children, and displaced most of the population.

 

The delivery of caravans, or mobile homes, have been a sensitive issue over the past couple of weeks, as Israel initially blocked their entry. This prompted Hamas to announce last week its plans to delay the release of Israeli captives due to these violations, which also included incidents of Palestinians being shot dead in the enclave despite the ceasefire.

Hamas’s announcement triggered angry reactions from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who threatened to resume war.

Fortunately, Egypt and Qatar successfully got the ceasefire back on track after the dispute further highlighted the fragility of the ongoing agreement.