Egypt's Minister of Health and Population, Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, met with French Ambassador to Cairo Eric Chevallier on Tuesday to coordinate humanitarian and medical aid for Palestinians in Gaza and to discuss plans for rebuilding the enclave's health sector, the Health Ministry said in a statement. The meeting took place as the Rafah border crossing reopened, serving as the primary humanitarian lifeline for Gaza amid ongoing hostilities. Health Ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said the minister expressed appreciation to the French government for its early and consistent support of Egypt's humanitarian efforts, noting that France was among the first countries to assist Cairo in delivering aid to Gaza. Discussions focused on assessing Gaza's urgent medical needs and developing mechanisms for the swift delivery of humanitarian and medical supplies. Abdel Ghaffar reaffirmed Egypt's readiness to work closely with France to provide life-saving assistance and to contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza's damaged healthcare infrastructure. Both sides agreed to expand field hospitals in Egypt's Rafah city to accommodate more patients and to strengthen emergency response capacity through the deployment of advanced, fully equipped ambulances. They also discussed ensuring adequate supplies of blood, medicines, and skilled medical teams, while maintaining joint Egyptian-French efforts to sustain humanitarian relief operations for Palestinians. Ambassador Chevallier reiterated France's commitment to supporting Gaza, praising Egypt's leadership in coordinating and facilitating aid deliveries. He added that French delegations would continue visiting the region to assess conditions on the ground and prepare joint reports with Egyptian authorities on the humanitarian situation.
