Egyptian PM Visits Injured Palestinians at Cairo Hospital

Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb visited wounded Palestinians in Nasr medical centre in Cairo on Thursday, Al-Ahram news website reported. He was accompanied by Health Minster Adel El-Adawy.

According to state news agency MENA, Egypt on Thursday allowed 104 injured Palestinians, accompanied by relatives, to cross into Egypt at the Rafah border with Gaza. Nineteen of the wounded Palestinians were sent to the Nasr centre.

The Israeli assault on Gaza started on 8 July and has killed over 1,450 people, while 61 Israelis have died in the violence. A 72-hour ceasefire was announced on Friday morning, although there were reports of deaths in apparent Israeli attacks on Gaza.

The Rafah crossing has been kept closed by the Egyptian authorities who cite security concerns related to Islamist militants in the Sinai Peninsula where Rafah is located, although limited numbers have been allowed to enter Egypt for medical treatment.

The Egyptian military sent 500 tonnes of food and medical aid to Gaza earlier in July, and another aid convoy organized by Egyptian activists delivered LE2.3 million worth of medical aid from donations to the territory last week.