“Israel is preventing aid from entering Gaza,” the Foreign Minister said during a press conference here with his French counterpart, Catherine Colonna.

We have been trying to keep the Rafah border crossing open since the beginning of the conflict on October 7, but unfortunately the authorities of that nation adopted another position, he stressed.

The crossing, which links Egypt to the Strip, is the only one not controlled by Israel, but its planes bombed surrounding areas on the Palestinian side, forcing its closure.

Shoukry noted that Cairo is in contact with various organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, to provide urgent aid to civilians in Gaza as soon as the situation allows.

We must concentrate at this time on stopping the escalation of violence, the official, who reaffirmed his government’s total rejection of the forced displacement of Palestinians from the coastal enclave, warned.

This morning an international news agency announced a cease-fire to allow the reopening of the crossing, but the Office of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, denied such an agreement.

“At the moment there is no ceasefire for humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip and the exit of foreigners” a terse statement noted.

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