Part of the delivery of the Egyptian Embassy in Amman the statement demanding the opening of the Rafah crossing (Al-Jazeera)

The Egyptian embassy in Amman received on Tuesday a statement addressed to Cairo demanding the permanent and direct opening of the Rafah crossing, so that aid can flow to Gaza without condition or Israeli, American or European intervention.

This statement is part of a global movement that is pressing to allow humanitarian aid and medical delegations to enter the Gaza Strip, and to enable patients and humanitarian patients to leave for Egypt and other countries around the world.

The delegation that delivered the statement included leaders from the Jordanian Women's Union, political parties, the Arab Women Association, doctors from the Jordanian Medical Association Council, and Jordanian human rights defenders.

The statement was signed by more than a thousand politicians, trade unionists, doctors, civil society leaders and activists.

Among the signatories from Jordan are Omar al-Razzaz, Marwan Muasher, Ibrahim Nasrallah, Nadia Shamrukh, Azem Qaddoumi and Ziad al-Zu'bi.

From Palestine, Hanan Ashrawi, Haneen al-Zu'bi, Omar Barghouti, Nadia Habash, Amal Khreisha and May Odeh, and prominent figures from 43 other countries.

Since October 7, the Israeli army has launched an aggression on Gaza, which has led to the death of more than 11,<> martyrs and the destruction of the health sector and various vital facilities.

In conjunction with the aggression, the occupation prevents the delivery of fuel, food and medicine into the Gaza Strip.


Global Campaign

The delivery of the statement to the Egyptian embassy comes as part of a global campaign carried out by a group of activists in a number of cities, by handing the statement to a number of Egyptian embassies in their countries to demand the opening of the Rafah crossing until aid reaches the Gaza Strip.

On the legal status of the Rafah crossing, the statement stressed that it is a Palestinian-Egyptian crossing, and it is a legal, moral, Arab and humanitarian duty for Cairo to reject Israeli and American dictates that impose the passage of aid through the Al-Awja crossing or others for inspection and confiscation from the Israeli occupation army.

In an earlier interview, the head of the Palestinian Initiative, Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, said that according to international law, Israel has no authority over the Rafah crossing and has no right to inspect it and prevent aid and fuel from entering the Gaza Strip.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said the entry of a limited number of truckloads of aid did not cover the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The Palestinian Red Crescent noted that the aid that entered the Strip is only a drop in the sea of humanitarian needs, and that preventing the entry of fuel puts thousands of lives in Gaza at risk of death.

Until now, the aid that has reached Gaza covers only 4% of the needs of the Strip, and Israel continues to impose its dictates on the mechanism, quantity and types of such aid, as well as forcing it to go to the Al-Awja crossing for inspection and confiscation.

Israel imposes this reality despite the fact that it has no legal sovereignty over the Rafah crossing, as the crossings agreement affirms Egypt's sovereignty over the crossing, provided that it is managed in partnership between Egyptians and Palestinians.

Source : Al Jazeera