UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP on Wednesday that Israel should immediately open crossings into Gaza for humanitarian aid as part of a ceasefire deal.

“It should happen now. We want it to happen immediately as part of this agreement,” Fletcher said in an interview in Cairo, referring to the ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Fletcher is expected to go to the lifeline Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which has been closed for several months, on Thursday.

Separately on Wednesday, two sources told Reuters that the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip is expected to reopen to allow people to cross on Thursday with an EU mission set to deploy there.


The sources did not specify what restrictions might be applied to those seeking to cross. The Israeli military and the office of the Israeli prime minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment.