Egypt: EU commission president discusses Gaza humanitarian crisis

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on Saturday that she opposed the "forced displacement of Palestinians" during a meeting in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Von der Leyen expressed gratitude to Egypt for its crucial role in providing and facilitating humanitarian aid to vulnerable Palestinians in a message posted on X, formerly Twitter. The two leaders discussed "the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza" and explored a "political horizon based on a two-state solution," with Israel conducting a military campaign in the Gaza Strip following the October 7 Hamas attacks. Von der Leyen later arrived in North Sinai for the arrival of a European Union humanitarian convoy, according to a statement from the governor of the Egyptian border region. The statement mentioned that she is expected to inspect the Rafah border crossing, assess the aid situation, and visit wounded Palestinians in North Sinai. International aid has been arriving at the international airport in El-Arish, approximately 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the Rafah crossing with Gaza. The Rafah crossing, the only entry point for aid not controlled by Israel, has been crucial for the trickle of assistance into war-ravaged Gaza.