Blinken asks Egypt to help send aid to Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Egypt to do everything it can to ensure that humanitarian aid is sent to Gaza, as shipments of food and medicine pile up on the Egyptian side of the border.

Blinken, during a House of Representatives hearing, said the Rafah crossing, in southern Gaza, remains closed since the Israeli army took control of it on May 7.

Fighting near the crossing has made it difficult to send aid, but aid is getting through, Blinken said. He appeared to be referring to the crossing at Kerem Shalom, located near Rafah, which has been opened.

"So we have to find a way to make sure that the aid that goes through Rafah goes through safely. But we call on our Egyptian partners to do everything they can to ensure that aid is delivered," said Blinken.

The war in Gaza began after Hamas - the Palestinian group designated a terrorist organization by the US and the European Union - attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping nearly 250 others.

As a result of the Israeli offensive, over 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza.

The delivery of aid to southern Gaza has been hampered since Israel launched military operations in Rafah. According to the United Nations, 900,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in this city. /Rel