Trucks carrying urgently needed aid are expected to start moving through the Rafah crossing into Gaza on Saturday or Sunday, President Biden said Friday at a meeting in Washington with top European Union envoys. The Gaza Strip is facing a dire humanitarian crisis after Israel imposed a “complete siege,” cutting it off from food, water and fuel. Biden announced that Egypt would allow 20 trucks through the crossing and attributed the delay to necessary road repairs. Palestinians told The Washington Post it would be extremely dangerous to distribute the aid without a halting of Israeli airstrikes, which have continued across the Strip, including in areas Israel said were safe zones. Hamas on Friday released two American hostages abducted in the Oct. 7 attack, Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan, into Israeli custody. Biden said in a statement that he was overjoyed about their return.
