The Egyptian army said it would continue to pump food and humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip, where the Israeli army has killed more than 1,000 people in less than three weeks.

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who is also the commander-in-chief, had ordered "the continuation of sending food and humanitarian aid" to the coastal enclave, the military said in a statement on Sunday.

Fifteen army trucks have set off for the Palestinian territory to dispatch 50,000 boxes of food and supplies to "support Palestinian brothers and alleviate their suffering," the statement added.

The convoy is expected to cross into the coastal strip through the Rafah border crossing in the next few hours, the statement added

The Rafah crossing remains largely closed over security concerns in the border Sinai Peninsula, adjoining the coastal enclave and Israel, where the army continues to battle an Islamist insurgency. Authorities have allowed the entry of Palestinians on occasion, intermittently opening the passage following the outbreak of fighting in Gaza.

At least 1,050 Gazans, primarily civilians, have been killed and more than 6,000 wounded in 20 days of fighting between Israel and Islamist movement Hamas--the dominant force in Gaza--and its allies, Palestinian health ministry officials said.

Fourty-two Israeli soldiers and three civilians in Israel have died since the conflict began on 8 July.

Israeli strikes have destroyed hundreds of homes, including close to 500 in targeted hits, and forced tens of thousands of people to flee, according to Palestinian rights groups.

Prior to today's trip the Egyptian military had sent 500 tonnes of food and medical aid to Gaza, another aid convoy organized by Egyptian  activists delivered  LE2.3 million worth of medical aid from donations to the territory on Friday.