This morning, the Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Amman received a statement addressed to the Arab Republic of Egypt, represented by His Excellency Ambassador Mohamed Samir Marzouk. This statement is part of a global initiative advocating for the permanent and unconditional opening of the Rafah Crossing without Israeli, American or European interference, allowing the entry of humanitarian aid and medical delegations and the exit of those injured and in need of medical attention in Egypt and beyond it. 

The delegation delivering the statement in Amman included women leaders from the Jordanian Women's Union, Jordanian political parties, the Arab Women's Association, the Jordanian Medical Association, and human rights defenders. The statement was signed by over a thousand politicians, party leaders, unionists, doctors, civil society leaders, activists, artists, writers and activists. Some of the signatories from Jordan include Omar Razzaz, Marwan Al-Muasher, Ibrahim Nasrallah, Nadia Shamroukh, Azzam Al-Qadoumi, Ziad Al-Zu'bi, and from Palestine figures like Hanan Ashrawi, Haneen Zoabi, Omar Al-Barghouti, Nadia Habash, Amal Khreisheh, and Mai Odeh, as well as influential figures from 43 other countries.

The statement calls for the opening of the Rafah Crossing for ambulance transport of the wounded to and from Egypt, as well as for humanitarian aid, including fuel, water, food, and more, to facilitate the movement of Palestinians to and from Gaza for humanitarian reasons, not for displacement.

This action is part of a broader global campaign undertaken by activists in various cities worldwide, with similar statements being delivered to several Egyptian embassies around the world.

Regarding the legal status of the Rafah crossing, the statement emphasizes that Rafah crossing is a “Palestinian-Egyptian border”. Egypt is urged, on legal, ethical, Arab, and humanitarian grounds, to reject Israeli and American restrictions imposed on the passing of humanitarian aid and assistance through the Rafah Crossing. At the moment, aid provisions undergo an inefficient process of searching and confiscation, which blocks the passage of direly needed aid. It is worth reiterating that the Gaza Strip, which has been subject to military occupation since 1967, under complete siege since 2006, is undergoing a genocidal campaign that has exceeded in its violence the 1948 Nakba.

Amna Zubi, The President of the Jordanian Women's Union and former Member of the Jordanian Senate, affirmed Egypt's rejection of plans to displace Palestinians to Sinai for the purpose of stealing their land. She noted that Egypt should take a firm stance in ensuring the entry of necessary aid directly and continuously to address the effects of the genocide and the humanitarian disaster perpetrated by the Zionist entity in Gaza.

Layla Naffa, President of the Arab Women's Association, expressed regret that the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt, nor his deputy,  received the delegation. She stressed that “The statement and signatures represent the voices of free people worldwide, supporting the rights of the Palestinian people in Gaza, and expressing rejection of aggression and zionist plans to displace and murder our Palestinian brothers and sisters.”

Dr. Maha Fakhouri, council member of the Jordanian Medical Association expressed her “disappointment that no embassy official agreed to meet the delegation and hoped they would be more open to receiving the civil society in the future”.

In a previous statement, Dr. Mustafa Al-Barghouti emphasized, according to international law, Israel has no authority over the Rafah Crossing to impose inspections and prevent the entry of aid and fuel into the Gaza Strip. UNRWA criticized the number of aid-laden trucks, considering it a minimal flow that does not cover the humanitarian needs in Gaza. The Palestinian Red Crescent also stated in a previous release that aid trucks are just a drop in the ocean of humanitarian needs, and the denial of fuel entry puts thousands of lives in Gaza at risk of death.

To date, aid entering Gaza only covers 4% of the needs. Israel continues to dictate the entry mechanisms, quantities, and types of aid, forcing trucks  to pass through the Nitsana Crossing between Egypt and Israel for inspection and confiscation. This is despite Israel having no legal sovereignty over the Rafah Crossing, as per the Crossing Agreement. The sovereignty over the crossing lies with Egypt, managed in partnership between the Palestinian and Egyptian administrations.

Link to statement which is still open for signatures https://forms.gle/dNNcj2mTACuSr9xx8

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