Lemmy.World

Cairo says the Rafah crossing, a potentially vital opening for desperately-needed supplies into the Israeli-besieged Palestinian enclave, is not officially closed but was made inoperable due to Israeli air strikes on the Gaza side.

As Israel's bombardment and siege of Gaza has intensified, the territory's 2.3 million residents have been left without power, pushing health and water services to the brink of collapse, with fuel for hospital generators running low.

"There is an urgent need to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza," Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told reporters, adding that talks with Israel had not been fruitful.

"Until now the Israeli government has not taken a position on opening the Rafah crossing from the Gaza side to allow the entrance of assistance and exit of citizens of third countries."

Two Egyptian security sources had told Reuters that a ceasefire in southern Gaza to last several hours had been agreed to begin at 0600 GMT on Monday to allow for the entrance of aid, as well as limited evacuations of foreign passport holders from Gaza.

However, Israel denied that.

"There is currently no truce and humanitarian aid in Gaza in exchange for getting foreigners out," a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.

Hamas official Izzat El-Reshiq also told Reuters there was no truth to media reports that Rafah was reopening or that there was a ceasefire.

The Egyptian security sources say they were perplexed by the Israeli denial after having received confirmations previously.