Israel-Palestine Escalation
Israel was hit by an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip on October 7, with Hamas movement's troops infiltrating border areas. On October 8, the Israeli government announced that it had invoked Article 40 of the Basic Law, which means the country was officially in a state of war.

Gaza Crisis May Have Long-Term Negative Impact on Entire Middle East, Egyptian Presidency Says

© AP Photo / Ariel SchalitSmoke rises following an Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023.
Smoke rises following an Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023.  - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 05.02.2024
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CAIRO (Sputnik) - On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others.
The ongoing crisis in the Gaza Strip could have not only direct, but also long-term negative consequences for Egypt and the entire Middle East, Egyptian presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy told Sputnik.
"Egypt has viewed the events in the Gaza Strip as a very dangerous development that could have long-term consequences in addition to serious and direct negative consequences for the national security of Egypt and the region," Fahmy said.
Cairo has been working on two tracks since the first day of the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict, he added.
"The first [direction] is the political part, and its clear goal is to achieve a ceasefire. The second direction is providing assistance since the very beginning of a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip," the spokesman explained.
Fahmy also said that Egypt has restored the Rafah crossing on the border with the Palestinian Gaza Strip after the Israeli bombing and has been operating it 24 hours a day since the beginning of the crisis in the enclave, having delivered some 80% of the total humanitarian aid there.
"Since the very beginning of the conflict, Egypt has allowed the Rafah crossing to be open 24 hours a day and restored it after the Israeli bombing to prepare it to receive the aid provided by the world, especially Egypt. Egypt has provided between 75% and 80% of the total amount of assistance that has so far reached the Gaza Strip," the spokesman said.
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Following Hamas's large-scale rocket attack on Israel in October, Tel-Aviv launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 27,000 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip, local authorities said.
On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza.
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