Hollywood actor and humanitarian Angelina Jolie has visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza, drawing renewed international attention to the humanitarian crisis and the restrictions on aid entering the war-ravaged territory.

Jolie travelled to Rafah on Friday as part of an American delegation, where she met volunteers from the Egyptian Red Crescent and spoke with truck drivers waiting to deliver humanitarian assistance into Gaza. According to journalists present at the scene, aid workers told the Oscar-winning actor that thousands of trucks loaded with food, medical supplies and essential goods remain stalled near the crossing, unable to enter the enclave.

During her visit, Jolie said she was “honored” to meet humanitarian volunteers working under extreme pressure. Her presence at Rafah was not announced in advance, and neither she nor Egyptian authorities have issued an official statement since the trip, adding to the sensitivity surrounding the crossing and ongoing negotiations over aid access.

Local media reported that the visit was intended to allow Jolie to see firsthand the condition of injured Palestinians who have been transferred from Gaza to Egypt for medical treatment. She also sought to better understand the logistical and political barriers preventing large-scale humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, where infrastructure has been devastated and civilian needs continue to mount.

The Rafah border crossing, Gaza’s only gateway not directly controlled by Israel, was expected to reopen following a ceasefire that took effect in October. However, it has remained largely closed, severely limiting the flow of humanitarian assistance. In a joint statement issued on Friday, Egypt and six other countries, including Saudi Arabia, urged the international community to pressure Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately lift restrictions on the entry and distribution of essential supplies into Gaza.

Tensions over Rafah intensified in early December after Israel announced it would allow the crossing to open only for people wishing to leave Gaza. Egyptian authorities swiftly denied approving such a move, insisting that Rafah should primarily serve as a humanitarian lifeline rather than an exit route for displaced civilians.

Angelina Jolie, one of the world’s most high-profile advocates for refugees and displaced people, stepped down as a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency at the end of 2022 after more than 20 years of service. Since then, she has continued to focus on broader humanitarian and human rights issues, using her global profile to highlight crises that often struggle to maintain international attention.

Her visit to the Rafah crossing comes amid growing global concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where limited aid access, damaged infrastructure and ongoing insecurity have created what international organisations describe as a deepening humanitarian emergency.