Egypt's SIS Refutes Israeli Claims at ICJ Regarding Rafah Border Crossing

Diaa Rashwan, the head of the State Information Service refuted the latest statements and false information presented by the Israeli defense at the International Court of Justice regarding Rafah Border Crossing.

The Israeli legal team claimed that Egypt is responsible for preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah Border Crossing. 

Rashwan clarified that the accusations of the Israeli legal team are false, adding that Israeli officials like the Israeli Prime Minister, the Israeli Minister of Energy, and the Israeli Defence Minister, previously, asserted in their statements that they won't allow the entry of any humanitarian aid to Gaza, especially fuel because it is part of their war on Gaza.

Rashwan added that the responsibility of Egypt is only for the Egyptian side of the border crossing, while the other side in Gaza is under the control of the Israelis. This also is represented in the mechanism of the entry of humanitarian aid through the Karam Abu Salem border.

Moreover, Egypt asserted several times with official statements that the Egyptian side of the Rafah Border Crossing is always open, in addition, the Egyptian officials asked the Israelis to not prevent the flow of humanitarian aid and to stop delaying the entry of the aid.

Rashwan explained that various international officials, including the UN Secretary-General, visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah Border, and none of them succeded in crossing to the other side due to the procedures of the Israelis, in addition to the continued Israeli attacks on Gaza.

He pointed out that the negotiations of Egypt, Qatar, and the US witnessed strong intransigence from the Israeli side in controlling the amount of the delivered aid to Gaza, in addition, Egypt ordered the drivers of the aid trucks to distribute the aid to the people of the strip, skipping transporting the aid to Palestinian aid trucks after the continued delays of passing the trucks by the Israelis.

Rashwan concluded that the control of the Israeli side over the entry of the humanitarian aid, and their continued attempts to delay the delivery of the aid is proved by the request of US President Joe Biden to the Israeli officials to open the Karam Abu Salem border, adding that there are six borders from and to the strip, so if the Israeli officials can open them for trade, not for humanitarian aid, especially the trade between Israel and Gaza strip estimated at more than $4.7 billion for the Israeli industrial, and trade sectors.