Former UN envoy Angelina Jolie steps up for humanitarian relief

Hollywood star Angelina Jolie visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing into Gaza on Friday, engaging with Red Crescent volunteers and truck drivers transporting humanitarian aid.

Accompanied by an American delegation and welcomed by current and former officials, Jolie expressed that she was “honoured” to meet the aid workers at the crossing. A Red Crescent volunteer informed her that “thousands of aid trucks are just waiting” at the border.

Local media reported that Jolie, a former UNHCR special envoy, visited the site to assess the conditions of injured Palestinians transferred to Egypt and to monitor aid deliveries into Gaza, which remains largely blocked despite a ceasefire in effect since October.

On Friday, Egypt and six other countries, including Saudi Arabia, issued a joint statement urging the international community to pressure Israel to immediately lift restrictions on the entry and distribution of essential supplies to Gaza.

Jolie, widely regarded as one of Hollywood’s most iconic figures, stepped down from her UNHCR envoy role in 2022 after more than 20 years, citing her desire to focus on broader humanitarian initiatives.