Turkey, Egypt Agree to Keep Rafah Crossing Open

An Egyptian aid truck at the Rafah border crossing (AFP)
An Egyptian aid truck at the Rafah border crossing (AFP)
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Turkey, Egypt Agree to Keep Rafah Crossing Open

An Egyptian aid truck at the Rafah border crossing (AFP)
An Egyptian aid truck at the Rafah border crossing (AFP)

Head of the Turkish Red Crescent, Kerem Kinik, revealed in a statement to Anadolu Agency that “an understanding was reached with the Egyptian Red Crescent regarding the entry of Turkish aid into Gaza, and to keep the Rafah land crossing and seaports open to aid.”

"Also, other trucks will carry materials such as medical consumables, hygiene kits along with stationery and playsets, sent by our Ministry of National Education,” he added.

"The aid convoy of 10 trucks has been prepared in Cairo and will set off,” he continued.

Kinik pointed out that “the aid amounts to two thousand tons, and it consists of parcels weighing 21 kilograms, and each one is sufficient to meet the needs of one family for a month.”

Kinik visited Egypt and held a series of meetings to accelerate the aid to Gaza.

"We have prepared humanitarian aid convoy of 10 trucks with the Egyptian Red Crescent. Six trucks in the convoy will carry approximately 2,000 food parcels," Kinik said following his meeting with Executive Director of the Egyptian Red Crescent Ramy El Nazer.



US Military Strikes Iranian-Backed Militia Targets in Syria

The US has about 900 personnel in Syria to assist partnered forces in conducting missions against ISIS militants. (Reuters file)
The US has about 900 personnel in Syria to assist partnered forces in conducting missions against ISIS militants. (Reuters file)
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US Military Strikes Iranian-Backed Militia Targets in Syria

The US has about 900 personnel in Syria to assist partnered forces in conducting missions against ISIS militants. (Reuters file)
The US has about 900 personnel in Syria to assist partnered forces in conducting missions against ISIS militants. (Reuters file)

The US struck nine targets at two locations in Syria Monday to hit Iranian-aligned militias that had launched attacks on US personnel over the last 24 hours, US Central Command said.

No US personnel were injured in the attacks, but as of late Monday the Pentagon did not provide further details on what US sites in Syria had been attacked or what sites the US struck in return.

The US has about 900 personnel in Syria to assist partnered forces in conducting missions against ISIS militants. In February it launched a massive attack on Iranian-backed militia sites in Syria in response to a drone attack in Jordan that killed three US service members.

Since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas in Israel, and Israel's large-scale response in Gaza, Iran-backed fighters who are loosely allied with Hamas have carried out drone and rocket attacks on bases housing US troops in Iraq and Syria.