Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing into Gaza, speaking with Red Crescent workers and truck drivers delivering humanitarian aid, AFP journalists reported on Friday.
According to local media, Jolie – a former special envoy for the UN refugee agency – said she came to assess the condition of Palestinians transferred to Egypt for treatment and to examine the flow of aid into the Gaza Strip.
Jolie also reportedly toured aid warehouses near the crossing and visited patients at El Arish Hospital in North Sinai, Egypt.
The crossing is considered crucial for Gazans, as it is the only way to enter or exit the Strip without going through Israel. In early December, Israel announced it would reopen the crossing to allow for Palestinians living in Gaza to leave through Egypt, though that plan was ultimately nixed due to Cairo’s objections.
According to a source from the Israeli delegation that visited the United States earlier this week, Israel is preparing to open the border crossing amid U.S. pressure.
Haaretz also reported Sunday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had considered opening the vital crossing in both directions as a gesture of goodwill, but ultimately decided against it amid opposition from his far-right allies.
Haaretz Weekly
From tragedy to solidarity: The Jewish world’s turbulent and traumatic 2025
Haaretz Weekly
From tragedy to solidarity: The Jewish world’s turbulent and traumatic 2025
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The crossing’s opening in both directions is mandated in President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, as part of the clause calling for the “entry of distribution and aid” that “will proceed without interference from the two parties.”
Jolie has previously condemned IDF strikes in Gaza, which she said constitute “the deliberate bombing of a trapped population who have nowhere to flee.”