Angelina Jolie visits Rafah Crossing as Israel suspends Gaza aid, calls for urgent relief

Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie and ex-UN Refugee Agency special envoy visited Rafah Crossings in Egypt on Friday as she embarked on her humanitarian visit to Egypt, her representatives have confirmed. This follows the announcement by Israel that it would shut down the operations of various aid groups working in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli suspension of aid agencies

Earlier this week, the Israeli government announced that aid agencies that failed to renew the registration of their activities and turnover information about the personal data of employees would cease activities. There has been continuous concern raised by the aid agencies about the safety of their employees. This has come at a time when the ten countries warned that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is facing “renewed deterioration” and living conditions in the enclave “remain catastrophic.”

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As per a report by CNN, the policies were justified by Israel as being necessary to prevent relief from being exploited by Hamas. However, this has been denied by the UN and various relief agencies. There was evidence from a review by the US government earlier in the year that there was nothing to suggest widespread stealing of relief, as has been alleged by Israel and the US State Department.

Gaza faces harsh winter conditions

The Gaza Strip is now enduring harsh winter weather with torrents of rain and strong winds. The soggy tents there easily caved in, and at least 20 people lost their lives because buildings and homes collapsed.

Jolie inspects stalled medical and relief shipments

During her visit, Jolie toured a massive warehouse full of medical and other supplies that were not allowed to enter Gaza. She also held a meeting with aid officials from the Egyptian Red Crescent and other local aid bodies. “I spoke to humanitarian agencies who are working hard to do their best to overcome the restrictions and challenges of delivering necessary aid into Gaza. I walked through a large warehouse that was full of items that were denied entry, most of them medical”, CNN quoted Jolie as saying in a statement.

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"What needs to happen is evident: the cessation of hostilities has to be respected, and access has to be maintained in a safe and urgent fashion in order for relief, fuel, and essential medical material to reach quickly," said Angelina Jolie. Winter clothing and medical needs have to reach the affected areas urgently because any halt in distribution results in loss of lives, she emphasised.

She further said, “What needs to happen is clear: the ceasefire must hold, and access must be sustained, safe and urgently scaled up so that aid, fuel and critical medical supplies can move quickly and consistently, at the volume required.”

“Winter items and essential medical equipment should move without delay. Every day of disruption costs lives,” she added.

Jolie also met with Palestinian and Sudanese refugee families in Egypt and expressed appreciation for the work that the volunteers do tirelessly to provide humanitarian services to the refugees.