ISMAILIA, EGYPT — Day by day, Israel’s assaults on Palestinian territories intensify. Despite this, trucks filled with humanitarian aid from across the globe face continuous obstruction at Palestine’s borders. On Thursday (7/12/2023), Israel launched attacks on the Khan Younis region in southern Gaza, where a large number of survivors have congregated. Many individuals have been forced to move towards southern Gaza, approaching the Palestinian-Egyptian border at the Rafah Crossing, in search of safety.
Reports from Al Jazeera, the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) indicate that, as of December 7, 2023, the conflict has resulted in at least 17,177 fatalities, including 7,112 children and 4,885 women (data as of December 6, 2023). Additionally, it’s reported that 46,000 people require specialized medical treatment, and another 7,600 are missing in Gaza.
In the West Bank, the death toll has reached 266, including 63 children, with over 3,365 injuries reported. Since the escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict on October 7, 2023, at least 63 journalists have lost their lives. In a related event, the Israeli military bombed a UNRWA school near the Indonesian Hospital in North Gaza, causing multiple Palestinian casualties.
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Amidst these dire circumstances, with a lack of electricity, water, internet, communication infrastructure, and limited food supplies in Gaza, the situation is exacerbated by the bottleneck of humanitarian aid at the Egyptian border. On the evening of Thursday (7/12/2023) near Ismailia, hundreds of aid trucks destined for Palestine were observed in a lengthy queue heading towards the Ismailia Check Point, located 100 Km from Cairo. The meticulous inspection of the aid trucks’ documents has led to significant delays.
Muhammad, a truck driver interviewed at the site, revealed that his journey from Cairo to El Arish and then to Rafah spanned 10–12 days. He encountered numerous Egyptian military checkpoints along the way, totaling at least 12. In Ismailia, he experienced a waiting period of nearly two days. Additional delays are anticipated in El Arish, where X-ray inspections are conducted at the ERC Warehouse to scrutinize the contents and dimensions of the aid items before they can proceed to Rafah.
All aid traversing from Egypt to Palestine must pass through the Ismailia checkpoint. Consequently, it is conceivable that perishable items, such as food, may spoil and become unfit for use by the survivors due to the climatic conditions and temperature fluctuations, particularly with the onset of winter in Palestine, affecting both Gaza and the West Bank.
This situation further complicates the plight of the survivors in Palestine, especially in addressing the needs of children, women, and the elderly. The humanitarian crisis in Palestine warrants the attention of the international community. This issue transcends religious boundaries and centers on human rights. Israel’s encroachment and occupation contravene international humanitarian laws. (Dompet Dhuafa/DMulyadi)