Egypt builds new camp for displaced Palestinians in Gaza

CAIRO - Egypt started building another camp for internally displaced people in Khan Younis city south of the besieged Palestinian Gaza Strip, the country's Al-Qahera News TV channel reported on Saturday.

The new camp "will have a capacity of 400 tents and can accommodate about 4,000 people, and it will be equipped with electricity, water, and restrooms," Al-Qahera News quoted an unnamed source as saying, noting the camp will be completed by the end of this week.

Egypt established a similar camp for displaced Palestinians in Khan Younis in December 2023.

Following the completion of the second camp, a field hospital and two humanitarian aid distribution centers will be established in Gaza's city of Rafah and another camp in Deir al-Balah, the report added.

Gaza has been under massive Israeli besiege and bombardment since Gaza-ruling Hamas launched a deadly surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The ongoing Israeli escalation since then has killed 29,606 Palestinians and wounded 69,737 others, according to data released by Gaza's health ministry on Saturday.

The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza has been a major lifeline to provide the enclave with relief supplies, donated by Egypt and other countries as well as local and international organizations.