Turkish, Egyptian officials discuss Gaza crisis amid Erdogan's Cairo visit

Türkiye's Directorate of Communications has convened a roundtable discussion titled "The Future of Türkiye-Egypt Relations: Regional Developments and Challenges" in Cairo, along with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's diplomatic visit to Egypt.

The meeting, held on Tuesday, focused on Türkiye and Egypt's contributions to health and humanitarian aid in Palestine, their collaborative efforts in this domain, and bilateral relations.

Deputy Director of Communications Cagatay Ozdemir was in attendance, alongside academics, state representatives, researchers, and representatives from civil society organisations.

Strategies aimed at bolstering cooperation were assessed, with a particular emphasis on diverse projects and diplomatic initiatives pursued by both nations, key actors in the Eastern Mediterranean region, to enhance healthcare services in Gaza and extend humanitarian assistance.

In a written message to the meeting, Türkiye's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun emphasised the significance of the meeting held in Egypt for the Palestinian issue and regional problems, highlighting that the most pressing issue for both the region and the Muslim world in recent months has been the situation of Palestinians in the face of Israel's ruthless attacks.

Altun pointed out that since October 7, at least 28,064 Palestinians, including 12,000 children and 8,190 women, have been killed, and 67,611 others have been injured in Israel's attacks.

He stated that Palestinians, fleeing Israel's indiscriminate bombing, are now facing hunger, cold, and outbreaks of diseases, exacerbating the devastation caused by the war with a humanitarian crisis.

Türkiye-Egypt cooperation 'imperative' for Gaza

Altun underscored Türkiye's continuing support for Palestinians including various projects aimed at improving healthcare services and providing humanitarian aid in Gaza and its political and diplomatic initiatives.

"Türkiye and Egypt's cooperation for Gaza is necessary and imperative," he said, highlighting Türkiye's provision of medical equipment, drugs, humanitarian aid materials, and support for the education of healthcare personnel in Gaza, as well as projects to strengthen healthcare infrastructure in the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

Altun pointed out that the Rafah border crossing, Gaza's only gateway to the outside world except for the Israeli border, is located on the Egyptian border, making Egypt crucial in the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and mediation efforts.

He also referred to the decrease in aid trucks entering Gaza, as reported by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Rafah border crossing

Altun cited a statement by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi on January 24, expressing worry about the reduced number of aid trucks entering Gaza.

President Sisi remarked, "Previously, we used to dispatch 600 trucks to Gaza daily. However, in the last two to three days, we have been unable to send more than 200-220 trucks daily. How do people in Gaza manage to survive?"

The Egyptian leader further underscored that the Egyptian side of the border crossing remains open around the clock, and attributed any delays to Israel.

"We are aware that the Egyptian people and the Egyptian state play a constructive role in solidarity with Palestine and in resolving regional problems," Altun said.

"Hence, the current conditions necessitate the collaboration of Türkiye and Egypt, two major regional countries that prioritise delivering humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. Egypt's sole border crossing with Gaza makes this cooperation even more imperative."

Altun added that the roundtable meeting organised by the Directorate of Communications would provide a suitable platform for bringing together experts from both countries to facilitate consultations on this issue.