Egyptian officials met with Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip in an attempt to help the Palestinians in light of the rapid spread of the Coronavirus.
The delegation arrived in the Gaza Strip through Erez Crossing point for a one-day visit to hold talks with Hamas leaders.
They discussed Gaza’s needs and provided the necessary support to overcome the crisis and prevent a new escalation.
Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the delegation's visit aims to assist the Strip and prevent any security or health deterioration, adding that they also discussed the intra-Palestinian reconciliation and bilateral relations.
This is the first visit of an Egyptian security delegation since September 10, and sources said that the different parties have not achieved any development in the reconciliation. They also haven't achieved any major breakthrough in the prisoner exchange deal.
However, maintaining the stability of the enclave is a priority now, given that any new confrontation in Gaza will be catastrophic, according to the sources.
They indicated that Egyptians were keen to listen to the needs of the Strip and discussed confronting the outbreak of COVID-19.
The Egyptians arrived in Gaza in order to contain the tension following escalation between the Palestinian factions over the past few weeks.
Meanwhile, an EU delegation of ambassadors and consuls visited Gaza on Tuesday and made inspection visits to assess the health and living conditions in the Strip.
The delegation visited the European Hospital in Gaza designated for the treatment of coronavirus patients and some projects funded by the Union.
A statement issued by the heads of missions said that the visit aimed to show solidarity with the residents of Gaza, and review the health conditions, in light of the coronavirus pandemic and its disastrous social and economic effects.
The EU representative in the Palestinian Territories, Sven Kuhn von Burgsdorff, said that the Union will provide all possible support to the Gaza Strip.
He stressed that the Union aims to ensure quality of life for each individual in Gaza, as well as the establishment of human rights and the right to life and education.
The envoy announced that the EU will try to deliver the coronavirus vaccine to Gaza, especially for front liners.
On Monday, the Strip stopped all coronavirus testing, as the sector suffers from an acute shortage of medical supplies to help it combat the pandemic.
The virus spread in Gaza very quickly, forcing the Ministry of Interior of Hamas to take tighter measures to counter the outbreak.
It announced the closure of mosques, schools, universities, and kindergartens from Saturday in the Gaza Strip, excluding high schools and nurseries.
A night-time curfew was imposed on Saturday, lasting from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 am, while a full lockdown will be imposed on Fridays and Saturdays from December 11 through to the end of the month.
