Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi said on Wednesday his country has always kept open the Rafah border crossing, the only access into the Gaza Strip that Israel does not control.

“Egypt has never closed the crossing, but to be able to act in a fighting situation, we have to be cautious not to cause a problem,” he said at a televised ceremony in Cairo, referring to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. “From the first day, we have been very keen that the Rafah crossing becomes an avenue to deliver aid.”

Mr Al-Sissi hoped that a mediated ceasefire deal would be reached soon between Israel and the Palestinian militant organisation Hamas to allow for the start of “real relief in different fields” for the people in the densely populated Gaza Strip.

Egypt, the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, is worried about a potential mass exodus of Gazans into its territory. 

(dpa/NAN)