The Arab League launched an aid convoy to support and assist the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, in implementation of the decisions of the Arab Summit and the Councils of Arab Ministers of Health and Social Development.

The launch of the convoy was attended by the Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, the Egyptian Minister of Social Solidarity Maya Morsi, the Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League Ambassador Hossam Zaki, a number of assistant secretaries, the Representative of the State of Palestine to the Arab League Ambassador Muhannad Al-Aklouk, and a number of directors of departments of the General Secretariat of the Arab League.

During its visit to the city of Arish and the Rafah land crossing, the delegation accompanied an aid convoy estimated at 20 trucks loaded with more than 200 tons of food, medical and humanitarian aid, in addition to a number of medically equipped ambulances.

The delegation inspected the customs warehouse of the Egyptian Red Crescent, in addition to the heavy equipment and prefabricated houses (caravans) lined up on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing in preparation for their entry into the Gaza Strip. The delegation met a number of the wounded in Al-Arish Hospital as a result of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

The delegation was keen to talk to the injured as they left the Strip through the crossing, and they listened to a number of children and women about the suffering experienced by the Palestinian people as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Strip, where they were distributed to Egyptian hospitals to receive the necessary health care.

For his part, Ambassador Zaki stressed that the Arab League has never been late in supporting the Palestinian people, pointing to the efforts of Egypt and the Egyptian Red Crescent in coordinating and delivering Egyptian, Arab and international aid to our people in the Gaza Strip, and receiving cases of patients and the injured who need rapid, long-term or advanced care.

He said that everyone saw the huge number of aid trucks in front of the Rafah crossing, equipped to the highest level to enter the Strip, but the Israeli occupation prevents and obstructs their entry and makes their entry a difficult matter.

In turn, Ambassador Al-Aklouk stressed that the consolidation of the Palestinian people on their land requires breaking the deadly Israeli siege imposed on them for 16 continuous months of war of extermination, and concerted efforts to implement the Palestinian government’s plan for relief, recovery, reconstruction and development, including the rapid entry of aid, temporary shelter and heavy equipment to remove the rubble.

The Palestinian delegate appreciated the efforts of the Arab League and the Arab Republic of Egypt, including the Ministries of Health and Social Solidarity and the Egyptian Red Crescent, for their supportive efforts and backing of our people, their standing by the Palestinian people, and their work to save the lives of the wounded and sick in the sector and open the doors of Egyptian hospitals.

For his part, the official spokesman for the Egyptian Ministry of Health, Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, confirmed that the hospitals of North Sinai Governorate are working around the clock to receive the injured in the sector and all preparations and readiness are in place at the level of preparing and training medical staff, and at the level of detention places in hospitals, whether in the internal departments or care and nurseries and kidney dialysis units.

For her part, the Executive Director of the Egyptian Red Crescent, Amal Imam, said that the entry of caravans will begin today, Sunday, in cooperation with the Egyptian authorities, as a ready-made means of shelter for the affected families in the sector.

She added that the past period witnessed the entry of a large number of tents as part of relief efforts, but the volume of needs inside Gaza is still very large.

For his part, the spokesman for the Egyptian Ministry of Social Solidarity, Mamdouh Shaheen, said that the visit is within the framework of the Egyptian government and the Arab League's keenness to provide full support to the Palestinian people in light of the current circumstances and to provide all necessary medical and humanitarian needs for them.