Egypt to establish logistics center in Rafah to facilitate aid to Gaza Strip

By İbrahim Khazen and Cagri Kosak

ISTANBUL (AA) - Egypt announced Saturday that it is beginning to establish a logistics center in Rafah to facilitate humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, which is under attack and occupation by Israel.

Gov. of North Sinai in Egypt, Maj. Gen. Muhammad Abdulfadil, noted that the center is to be built in the border town, including the Rafah Border Crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

Abdulfadil said the Egyptian army has begun constructing the center in Al-Arish to facilitate the work of the Egyptian Red Crescent and to reduce congestion in the area and on the road.

He noted that the center will have parking areas for trucks, secure warehouses, administrative offices and accommodation for drivers, as well as facilities such as water and electricity.

Aid to Gaza is reaching the Sinai region by land, sea and air, and efforts are being made to transport aid to Gaza by trucks from the Al-Arish Port and the Al-Arish International Airport, he added.

-Refuge for displaced Palestinians in Rafah

Rafah, on the southern border of Gaza, was home to 280,000 Palestinians, before Israel began to attack the Gaza Strip

Attacks on Oct. 7 displaced 1.9 million people in Gaza, which has a population of about 2.3 million.

The majority of displaced Palestinians sought refuge in Rafah, which Israel claimed was "safe."

With the influx of residents from the northern regions, Rafah's population increased to more than 1.4 million, more than four times its original size.

Palestinians who sought refuge in Rafah are struggling to survive in makeshift tent camps due to a lack of adequate housing.

Israeli forces frequently target Rafah with airstrikes. There are concerns that if Israel launches a ground attack on Rafah, there will be no safe place for civilians in Gaza.

On Feb. 9, Netanyahu instructed the army and security forces to "prepare a plan for an attack on Rafah."