The United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reportedly offered Egypt military and economic cooperation in return for opening the Rafah crossing to foreign nationals leaving the Gaza Strip.
The information appears in one of the cables obtained by GloboNews through the Access to Information Law (LAI) from the Brazilian Embassy in Israel to the Brazilian authorities.
One of two Palestinians with dual citizenship waits in front of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the hope of receiving an exit permit from Gaza on October 17, 2023 Photo: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Portal Palestinians with dual citizenship wait with hope in front of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt to receive permission to leave Gaza on October 17, 2023 Photo: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Portal
On October 16, one of the cables mentioned USUAE negotiations with the Egyptian government over opening the border.
“According to local sources and interlocutors on the ground, the United States and the United Arab Emirates continue to pressure President alSisi to open the Rafah crossing and accept the entry of Gazans with foreign citizenship into Egyptian territory. In return, they would offer financing, donations and cooperation in the economic and military areas,” the telegram says.
The nearly 300page document contains reports from Ambassador Frederico Salomão Duque Estrada Meyer and diplomat Fábio Moreira Farias between October 7th and November 10th.
On November 8, the Brazilian embassy in Israel reported in a cable that it was in contact with “around three dozen” Brazilians living in Gaza by telephone or WhatsApp group.
The group of 32 Brazilians did not leave Gaza until more than a month after the telegram.
On November 12, 22 Brazilians, 7 Palestinians with a National Migration Register (RNM, document for the temporary or permanent residence of foreigners in Brazil) and 3 close family members of Palestinians crossed the Rafah border crossing, which connects the Gaza Strip with Egypt.
In total, seven groups of foreigners of different nationalities living in the Gaza Strip crossed the border crossing. The USA is the country with the largest number of rescued citizens from the conflict zone, with a total of 1,267.
As of the last update of this report, no UAE citizen was on the list of foreigners who have left Gaza.
2 of 2 Infographic shows borders between Gaza Strip, Rafah, Israel and Egypt. — Photo: Editoria de arte/g1 Infographic shows borders between the Gaza Strip, Rafah, Israel and Egypt. — Photo: Editoria de arte/g1
The cable, in which the 30 or so Brazilians are named for the first time, also shows that they informed the embassy that “the Israeli army was spreading threatening messages on social networks warning residents to leave their homes immediately and to seek protection.”
“Some Brazilians accompanied by families with children say the bombings were intense and [aconteceram] near their homes, and they believe that they will increase in the coming hours, which is why they are asking the Brazilian government for urgent help to facilitate their evacuation across the border with Egypt (Rafah),” the cable said.