Finance Minister directs customs facilities to ensure the flow of humanitarian and relief aid to Gaza

Continuation of exceptional measures and the non-imposition of any customs restrictions on relief shipments.

Strengthening coordination with the concerned institutions for pre-customs clearance of relief shipments.

Head of the Customs Authority: We are committed to exempting relief shipments from customs taxes.

Facilitating procedures by sufficiency for virtual inspection or presentation on x-ray devices only.

Dr. Mohamed Maait, Minister of Finance, reviewed the efforts of the Customs Authority in the immediate release of humanitarian and relief aid shipments in a way that helps facilitate their flow to the Gaza Strip, directing the continuation of exceptional measures, providing all necessary customs facilities, and not imposing any customs restrictions on relief trucks, in line with the increasing Egyptian keenness to respond urgently to the humanitarian emergency that reached its peak in Gaza.

The minister stressed that there is continuous coordination with all concerned authorities to facilitate the enforcement of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza as soon as possible through customs ports, where Egyptian ports work all the day to end the customs procedures for relief shipments and direct them to the Rafah crossing, explaining the necessity of concerted all national and international efforts  and enhance coordination with the relevant institutions for pre-customs clearance on relief shipments before their arrival in the country, in order to accelerate customs release, and to ensure the sustainability of the crossing of thousands of tons of foodstuffs, medicines, medical supplies and other aid; in order to contribute to meeting the basic needs of the people of Gaza.

El -Shahat Gutouri, head of the Customs Authority, said that we are cooperating with the various relevant institutions authorized to send humanitarian and relief aid to the Gaza Strip, and we do everything we can to facilitate customs procedures in the largest possible way, in a way that helps in the immediate release of relief shipments; in recognition of the war in the Gaza Strip.
He pointed out that we are committed to exempting relief shipments from taxes and customs duties, and transferring them with the "transit" system to reach the Rafah crossing, pointing out that the apparent examination of these trucks or displaying on radiology devices is sufficient only in ports, and coordination has been done with all the concerned authorities in order to accelerate the pace of customs release of humanitarian aid and its access to the people of Gaza.
He explained that customs officials continue to work throughout the day to ensure the speedy release of humanitarian and relief aid to the Gaza Strip.