Israel and Egypt’s secret meet to discuss the fate of Gaza

Image: Al Jazeera

A new report has emerged that during the iftar party on May 22nd 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had gone for a secret meeting with a small group of advisers to meet the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss matters regarding the Gaza strip. The Israeli-Egyptian imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip, which is the home for 2 million Palestinians and the blockade was imposed to restrict arms flowing to Hamas and Gaza militant groups who have been launching rocket missile in the border areas. The blockade as interpreted by the World Bank has led to a humanitarian crisis with a shortage of basic amenities like water, electricity and food.

The report released by an unnamed US official made it to the headlines as the two leaders have supposedly discussed on easing the blockade. The United Nations have time and again condemned the sanctions as it had turn Gaza into a complete state of collapse. Although the Israeli officials have denied any such meeting, there hasn’t been any sign of confirmation from Egypt as well.

The Sanctions have started to ease out as certain exceptions were seen last month when some 25 tanks carrying cement, gravel and mechanical equipment were allowed in the area and 9 tankers of fuel as well so that the operation of sewage treatment could continue and the sewage disposal won’t be entering the Mediterranean Sea. Similarly, the ban on fishermen which were re-imposed on August 1st 2018, will also be revised by the Defence Ministry and if the ban is lifted it would allow the fishermen to operate upto9 nautical miles. The Defence Ministry is constantly under pressure from NGOs too and a petition was flown in the High Court of Justice to lift the bans on Kerem Shalom.

Over 161 Palestinians have been killed in the violence that had initiated since March, and this requires a ceasefire to be called between Israel and the United Nations.

 

 

*Arijita Sinha Roy is a Research Intern at The Kootneeti

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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Kootneeti Team

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Arijita Sinha Roy

Arijita Sinha Roy is a former Associate Editor at The Kootneeti.

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