Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing into Gaza on Friday, January 2, 2026, accompanied by an American delegation, bringing global attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis affecting Palestinians. The former UN refugee agency special envoy said she was “honoured” to meet aid volunteers at the crossing, where she spoke with members of the Red Crescent and truck drivers ferrying humanitarian aid.
A Red Crescent volunteer told Jolie that “there are thousands of aid trucks just waiting” at the border crossing, highlighting the severe restrictions on aid delivery. In her statement, Jolie revealed she walked through a large warehouse full of items denied entry into Gaza, most of them medical supplies, underscoring the urgent need for improved humanitarian access.
The Associated Press reported that Jolie also visited patients in a hospital in the nearby city of Arish, where injured Palestinians are receiving care. Her visit aimed to assess conditions for wounded civilians and examine the challenges facing aid delivery operations.
Jolie emphasized: “What needs to happen is clear: the ceasefire must hold, and access must be sustained, safe and urgently scaled up so that aid, fuel and critical medical supplies can move quickly and consistently. Winter items and essential medical equipment should move without delay”, warning that every day of disruption costs lives.
Jolie stepped down from her role as special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency at the end of 2022 after more than 20 years of service, saying she wanted to work on broader humanitarian issues. Her visit comes as at least 71,271 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, with the Rafah crossing remaining largely closed despite ceasefire agreements.
The actress’s humanitarian mission serves as a powerful reminder of the urgent crisis facing Gaza’s civilian population and the critical importance of sustained international humanitarian efforts.
