Egypt to increase trade with Gaza starting Sunday

Egypt has agreed to allow increased trade and travel through the Rafah crossing with Gaza Strip starting on Sunday, as a Hamas delegation meets with Egyptian officials in Cairo, the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Thursday.

According to the report, the Egyptians agreed to allow construction materials, including iron, to increase imports into Gaza through the Rafah crossing and to supply "large quantities of goods" to the coastal enclave. The export of goods, including agricultural products, handicrafts, and furniture, from Gaza will also reportedly be allowed to external markets.

The delegation also received a commitment from Egypt to allow Palestinian merchants to travel through the Rafah crossing and to allow them into Cairo through coordination carried out by the Gaza Chamber of Commerce, the Interior Ministry in Gaza, and Egyptian Authorities.

Walid Al Husari, the head of a private sector delegation to Cairo, confirmed to Al-Akhbar that he had received promises from the Egyptians to increase the volume of trade between Egypt and Gaza and allow the entry of more and new items into Gaza through the Rafah crossing, such as iron, electrical tools, equipment and machinery for factories, medical equipment, cars, medicine, spare parts and glass. The private sector delegation reportedly presented the Egyptians with a list of demands, including the lowering of taxes on goods entering Gaza.

The Hamas delegation currently visiting Cairo is expected to stay until Sunday when the agreement is expected to be implemented. A delegation from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement is also expected to visit Cairo in the coming days.