​In pursuit of the League of Arab States' ongoing efforts to alleviate the dire social, humanitarian, and health conditions in the Gaza Strip—exacerbated by the actions of Israel, the occupying power—and within the framework of coordination and cooperation with the Arab Republic of Egypt, through its Ministries of Social Solidarity and Health and the Egyptian Red Crescent, a high-level delegation from the League of Arab States conducted an inspection visit to the Rafah crossing on 15 February. This visit aimed to oversee the entry of humanitarian aid provided by the Councils of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs and Health and was marked by the presence of His Excellency Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population, and Her Excellency Dr. Maya Morsi, Minister of Social Solidarity and Vice President of the Egyptian Red Crescent, in their respective capacities as heads of the executive offices of the aforementioned councils, alongside His Excellency Ambassador Muhannad Al-Aklouk, Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine to the League of Arab States.  

During the visit, His Excellency Ambassador Hossam Zaki, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Secretary-General's Office, affirmed at the Rafah crossing that this mission underscores the unwavering Arab solidarity with the Palestinian people. He noted that this is not the first instance of the League of Arab States providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, particularly through the Councils of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs and Health. He further highlighted that the aid shipment comprised 200 tons of essential supplies, including social welfare materials, medical supplies, and other urgent relief items.  

Ambassador Zaki also underscored the Israeli side's intransigence and persistent obstruction of aid entry in the required quantities and with the necessary contents. However, he commended the vital efforts of the Egyptian Red Crescent in orchestrating the aid's preparation and dispatch. He referenced the delegation's visit to the Egyptian Red Crescent's central humanitarian aid warehouse, where the Ministers of Health and Social Solidarity, along with the League of Arab States' delegation, actively participated in aid mobilisation and inspected the rigorous process of packaging and loading the supplies onto trucks in preparation for their entry into Gaza via the Rafah land crossing.  

In his remarks, Ambassador Zaki issued a call to the international community to intensify its pressure on Israel, the occupying power, to allow the immediate entry of the already-prepared aid convoys. He pointed to the staggering number of humanitarian aid trucks awaiting clearance for entry into Gaza.  

The delegation then visited Al-Arish Hospital, where they met with injured and wounded Palestinians and their families, who conveyed their immense suffering under the continued violations of Israel, the occupying power. Ambassador Zaki reaffirmed the League of Arab States' steadfast solidarity with the Palestinian people, particularly those in the Gaza Strip. He further reiterated the General Secretariat's commitment to continuing its pivotal role in addressing this critical issue, which remains at the heart of the League's agenda.

Her Excellency Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Social Affairs Sector, commended the unwavering efforts of the Egyptian authorities and the Egyptian Red Crescent in facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. She highlighted the remarkable progress achieved in organising and preparing relief assistance, stressing the meticulous work carried out by Egyptian Red Crescent volunteers. She noted that this marks her second visit to the Rafah crossing to oversee the delivery of aid from the Councils of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs and Health, underscoring the precision and efficiency with which humanitarian operations are conducted. She praised the deployment of cutting-edge technological systems, which have significantly enhanced the process of aid preparation, ensuring accuracy in both content and distribution through electronic records that meticulously track the quantities and types of assistance.  

The high-level delegation accompanying the visit included, in addition to Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh and Ambassador Hossam Zaki, His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Said Abu Ali, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Palestine and Occupied Arab Territories Affairs Sector, and His Excellency Ambassador Mohammed Saleh Al-Ajeri, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Administrative and Financial Affairs Sector. Also present were several ministers plenipotentiary, officials from the technical secretariats of the Councils of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs and Health, as well as senior officials from the General Secretariat. The presence of a delegation of such stature and magnitude served as a clear message of unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people—not only through the League of Arab States' political and diplomatic efforts but also through direct, on-the-ground engagement to alleviate the profound humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.  

At the conclusion of the visit, the delegation, on behalf of the League of Arab States, expressed its deep gratitude and appreciation to the Arab Republic of Egypt—its leadership, government, and people—for their steadfast support of their Palestinian brethren and their pivotal role in championing the Palestinian cause in close coordination with fellow Arab nations.  

Special acknowledgments were also extended to His Excellency Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health, for his exceptional efforts and leadership as Chair of the Executive Office of the Council of Arab Health Ministers. The delegation conveyed its profound appreciation to Her Excellency Dr. Maya Morsi, Minister of Social Solidarity and Vice President of the Egyptian Red Crescent, for her dedicated leadership as Chair of the Executive Office of the Council of Arab Social Affairs Ministers and for the immense contributions of the Egyptian Red Crescent, whose volunteer force—exceeding 30,000 individuals—plays a crucial role in delivering humanitarian aid across multiple countries worldwide.  

Furthermore, the delegation extended its sincere thanks to Dr. Amal Imam, Executive Director of the Egyptian Red Crescent, for her cooperation and continuous coordination with the General Secretariat in ensuring the effective preparation and dispatch of aid from the League of Arab States. Special recognition was also given to Major General Dr. Khaled Megawer, Governor of North Sinai, for the essential logistical support provided by the governorate and its staff, which greatly facilitated the successful execution of the League of Arab States' humanitarian mission.