Today's Edition
Wael Badran (Rafah)
The UAE, in coordination with Egypt, arranged a high-level visit for United Nations Security Council member state representatives to North Sinai Governorate and the Rafah border crossing, which connects the Gaza Strip to the outside world. The visit was intended to help delegates better understand the challenges in transferring humanitarian aid to the enclave.
The delegation included ambassadors from the United Kingdom, China, Russia, Albania, Ghana, Ecuador, Mozambique, Russia, Slovenia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, and Switzerland. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, and the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the Palestinian Territories, Lyn Hastings, were also present.
The tour, covered by Aletihad, included meetings between the Security Council delegation and Major General Mohammed Abdel Fadil Shousha, Governor of North Sinai, and Ambassador Tarek Tayel, a senior Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs official and former Ambassador to Palestine.
The delegation visited Palestinian patients at the Al Arish Central Hospital and the logistical centre for packing and loading relief aid trucks in Al Arish city. They also visited the Rafah border crossing to observe the aid shipments and the challenges in delivering aid.
Furthermore, Security Council members, acting in their national capacities, attended the inauguration of a water desalination station funded and managed by the UAE.
Her Excellency Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN, highlighted the importance of the visit for the UN Security Council members to personally witness the suffering and destruction in the Gaza Strip. She expressed gratitude for the UN’s efforts in facilitating aid delivery to the Palestinians. Ambassador Nusseibeh, on behalf of the delegation, thanked the Egyptian government for its hospitality and for organising the visit in a quick timeframe, which allowed the delegates to gain a deeper understanding of not only the suffering and destruction in the Gaza Strip, but also the hopes and strength of the people.
She clarified that this is the message they bring from their national visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt in their individual capacities. She also expressed gratitude for all the efforts made in New York, and for the significant work of the United Nations on the ground in Egypt and in Palestine, extending her condolences to Palestinian civilians, humanitarian relief workers, and journalists who lost their lives. She stressed that those who perished had endeavoured to build bridges and offer hope, emphasising that they should have been protected.
“We are here to say that we stand in solidarity with their families, friends, and loved ones…We believe they represented the best of the Gaza Strip, as well as the UN staff who remained on the ground to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid,” Ambassador Nusseibeh said.
“Their loss is a stark reminder of the sacrifices made by many while trying to serve all those around them,” she added.
“We must not forget their humanity and their determination to help others amid global terror,” she said, addressing her words to Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), who attended the session before heading directly to the Gaza Strip, and to all his colleagues in the UN agency.
The delegation and officials observed a minute of silence for the UN staff and civilians who perished in the Gaza Strip. They also held a closed session discussing developments in Gaza. Ambassador Nusseibeh said: “We hope that our visit here will reflect a better understanding of the challenges facing humanitarian work teams on the ground, and that we can convey this understanding through this field visit to our negotiations at the UN Security Council in New York.”
Major General Mohamed Abdel Fadil Shousha welcomed the delegation, emphasising the urgency of a ceasefire and the necessity of providing essentials, like potable water, medicine, and food, to save civilians in the Gaza Strip.
Speaking exclusively to Aletihad, he noted that the UAE was among the first countries to support the Palestinian people and continues to support them on all fronts, especially by sending necessary aid. Ambassador Tarek Taieel acknowledged the UAE’s coordination of the visit and highlighted the unbearable humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Taieel warned that the humanitarian suffering in Gaza is unbearable, and referenced the UN Secretary-General’s report to the Security Council about the health sector’s collapse and challenges in delivering aid.
He also notified the Council about the restrictions on freedom of movement and communication disruptions, making it difficult for UN agencies to reach those in need. He explained that the members of the UN Security Council have a significant responsibility.
During their visit to Al Arish Hospital, the delegation met with injured individuals, listened to their stories, and observed the treatment efforts.
The Chinese Ambassador to the UN, in a statement to Aletihad, underscored the field visit’s significance in understanding the on-ground situation. He commended the UAE and Egypt for their aid efforts in Gaza. “We realise that humanitarian aid is not enough due to the difficulty of truck crossings,” he noted.
He emphasised China’s commitment to working towards peace, also stressing the necessity of a ceasefire and joint efforts in establishing peace. “We may not be able to completely change the situation, but we will not give up, and we will continue to work in the Security Council,” he said, adding, “As I have said before, ‘enough’, and a ceasefire must be established.”
“We continue to work towards establishing peace, which is not easy, but it is necessary to work together,” he added, clarifying that China alone cannot achieve peace.
Dr. Lotfi Ghaith, Head of Operations at the Egyptian Red Crescent, underscored the significance of the recent visit by the United Nations Security Council delegation to Rafah, Egypt, in understanding the on-ground realities. In his call for Council action, he emphasised the need for streamlined aid procedures to optimise the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip.
Speaking exclusively to Aletihad, Ghaith shared insights on the logistics of aid transfer to the Palestinian side, highlighting various challenges and obstacles in the humanitarian efforts. During a tour of the logistics centre in Al Arish, Ghaith explained the detailed processes involved in packing and transporting aid to the delegation.
He detailed how the trucks, loaded with supplies, first proceed to the Israeli side for inspection and are then directed to Gaza via the Rafah Crossing. He also pointed out the notable congestion of trucks along the routes leading to the crossing, often stalled as they await clearance.
Ghaith observed that, during periods of ceasefire, the number of trucks entering Gaza could surpass two hundred daily. However, this figure has recently diminished to around one hundred trucks per day. Additionally, he noted that certain items, such as X-ray machines and solar panels, have been denied entry. The Israeli authorities cite the “potential for dual use” as the reason for this restriction.
