Angelina Jolie visits Egypt’s Rafah crossing, backs Gaza aid and plans relief village for Palestinian children
Angelina Jolie reaffirmed her support for Palestinians during a visit to Egypt’s Rafah border crossing, meeting aid workers and announcing plans for a relief village for orphaned children from Gaza.
- Angelina Jolie visited Arish city and the Rafah border crossing on 2 January to review humanitarian aid operations for Gaza.
- She met Egyptian Red Crescent volunteers and aid workers, highlighting delays affecting assistance for Gaza’s population.
- Jolie announced plans to establish a relief village for orphaned children from Gaza, focusing on long-term support.
US actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie reiterated her support for Palestinians during a visit to Egypt’s Arish city and the Rafah border crossing on 2 January 2026, where she reviewed humanitarian facilities linked to aid deliveries for Gaza.
The visit focused on assessing the flow of assistance into Gaza and engaging with organisations involved in relief efforts. It came amid continuing restrictions affecting the delivery of humanitarian supplies to the enclave.
According to Egypt’s state-run Al-Ahram newspaper, Jolie said she was “honoured” to meet humanitarian aid volunteers at the Rafah crossing. She was accompanied by a US delegation and welcomed by former and current Egyptian officials.
At the crossing, Jolie met members of the Egyptian Red Crescent and truck drivers responsible for transporting humanitarian assistance into Gaza, according to CBS News. The meeting highlighted the challenges facing aid convoys.
An Egyptian Red Crescent volunteer told Jolie that thousands of aid trucks were waiting at the crossing to deliver urgent assistance to Gaza’s 2.2 million residents. Aid organisations have repeatedly warned of shortages of food, medicine and fuel.
Tour of humanitarian facilities
During her visit to North Sinai governorate, Jolie toured logistics warehouses designated to support Palestinians in Gaza. Local media reported that she reviewed storage, coordination mechanisms and Egypt’s broader role in facilitating humanitarian relief.
The tour also aimed to assess how aid is distributed once it enters Egyptian territory and the logistical constraints affecting cross-border deliveries. According to regional officials, bottlenecks remain despite increased international attention.
The Associated Press reported that Jolie spoke with injured Palestinians receiving treatment at a hospital in Arish, as cited by CBS News. She was briefed on medical needs and the pressure on healthcare facilities supporting patients from Gaza.
Planned relief village for Gaza children
During the visit, Jolie announced plans to establish a relief village for orphaned children from Gaza. The project is intended to address the long-term needs of children affected by the conflict.
She said the initiative would provide shelter, healthcare, education and psychological support for children who had lost family members during Israeli attacks. Jolie stressed that children in Gaza deserved safety, opportunity and hope.
The proposal reflects Jolie’s long-standing focus on displaced children and refugees. Details on funding, location and timelines for the relief village have not yet been publicly outlined.
Rafah crossing and regional context
The Rafah border crossing was expected to reopen under a ceasefire in Gaza that began in October, but it has remained closed for regular movement. Aid deliveries have continued intermittently under strict controls.
In a joint statement issued on Friday, Egypt and six other countries, including Saudi Arabia, urged the international community to pressure Israel “to immediately lift the constraints on the entry and distribution of essential supplies” to Gaza.
Israel has said it will only allow Palestinians to leave Gaza, not enter, until Hamas returns all hostages taken on 7 October 2023. Israeli authorities say the remains of one hostage are still in Gaza.
Humanitarian agencies have warned that continued restrictions risk worsening living conditions, particularly for children, the elderly and those requiring medical care.
Background on Jolie’s humanitarian work
Jolie stepped down as special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency at the end of 2022 after more than 20 years of service. She said she wanted to focus on a broader range of humanitarian issues.
Over the past two decades, Jolie has undertaken field missions to conflict and displacement zones worldwide. Her work has included advocacy on refugee protection, education and sexual violence in conflict.
In 2022, she met refugees in Yemen and survivors of missile attacks in Ukraine.
She has continued to use her public profile to draw attention to humanitarian crises beyond her formal UN role.
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