«Xavier Doncell, an MSF doctor, told us about a once wealthy family who remained in the center of Gaza. They have had nothing to eat for over a week. The father gives his children three spoonfuls of expired dog food a day.” An image, a true story, to convey the sense of desperation of a people. From there Laura Boldrini, PD deputy and president of the Permanent Committee on Human Rights of the Chamber, leaves for Egypt with thirteen other parliamentary colleagues with the aim of arriving in Rafah in the next few days.
The delegation, on a mission with the AOI network of Italian NGOs which has already sent convoys to the Strip, will follow the route of the trucks at the crossing, the only access point from Egypt to Gaza. The first day, in Cairo, was dedicated to meetings with representatives of the humanitarian organizations operating in Palestine and Gaza, MSF Gaza response, MSF Egypt, Palestinian Center for Human Rights, Mezan center for human rights, Palestinian Medical Relief Society, Omar Ghrieb by Oxfam. «The common thread of all the speeches we heard – Boldrini tells La Stampa – was only one: the urgent request for a “ceasefire”. It is the precondition for continuing to operate, the only prerequisite for being able to provide assistance to the population reduced to the end of its strength.”
The delegation includes fourteen opposition deputies: eight from the Democratic Party (Laura Boldrini, Andrea Orlando, Ouidad Bakkali, Sara Ferrari, Valentina Ghio, Rachele Scarpa, Arturo Scotto and Alessandro Zan), three from the M5s (Stefania Ascari, Carmela Auriemma and Dario Carotenuto) and three from Avs (Angelo Bonelli, Nicola Fratoianni and Franco Mari). Traveling with them are journalists, humanitarian workers, academics and international law experts.
According to the timetable, the group is expected to arrive in Rafah on Tuesday morning. «Aid thrown from above is not the solution, – reasons Boldrini – the food is there but it is blocked in Rafah, it is necessary for Israel to agree to the passage of hundreds of convoys stopped at the crossing. Hunger is used as a weapon of war and this is a crime, food and medicines must be allowed to enter.” On Monday, parliamentarians will meet representatives of UNRWA, the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees, which will return to receiving European funds frozen for months after accusations of the alleged involvement of 12 local employees in the October 7 massacre. According to Boldrini, support for the Agency is essential: «UNRWA is fundamental to the survival of over five million Palestinian refugees not only in Gaza and the West Bank but also in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. It provides healthcare, food, schools, housing. Without UNRWA, these people would have no safety net.”
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