Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with the besieged Gaza Strip has been a site of hope and despair in the unprecedented aftermath of Hamas’ deadly October 7 attack on southern Israel. For VOA, photojournalist Hamada Elrasam captured the Egyptian side of this crucial passageway on November 29, the last day of the weeklong “humanitarian pause” across the crisis-ravaged Strip. Written in collaboration with Elle Kurancid.
Continuing War Casts Long Shadow Over Egypt-Gaza Border
- By Hamada Elsaram
- Elle Kurancid
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The Israel-Hamas truce allowed for about 200 trucks with aid and basics to enter Gaza daily, or half the pre-war average of 500 trucks. But, from Oct. 21 to Nov. 30, 2023, Egypt says just 2,888 trucks crossed into the Strip via Rafah, Egypt.
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Oxfam calls the now-expired truce brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, “a band-aid to a bleeding wound,” with more than 80 percent of Gazans already displaced by deadly Israeli attacks from air, land, and sea.
