Convoy aid trucks await entry into Gaza. Photo courtesy: Al-Ahram
The trucks passed through the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing into the Israeli-controlled Karm Abu Salem crossing, carrying a variety of goods, including flour, oil, sugar, cheese, legumes, canned meals, and baby formula.
It also includes personal hygiene products, such as sanitary pads and baby diapers, as well as basic medical supplies.
The convoy is part of the Egyptian Red Crescent’s Zad El-Ezza: From Egypt to Gaza initiative, launched on 27 July.
According to Al Qahera News, Israeli authorities approved the entry of the supplies in four phases, starting with 90 trucks.
On Sunday, Egypt sent its 26th convoy to Gaza. However, the Israeli authorities blocked the entry of medical supplies and allowed only three fuel trucks through out of a total of 180 loaded with food and other aid.
These restrictions come despite the UN’s declaration on 22 August that Gaza is facing famine, the first ever recorded in the Middle East.
On Sunday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said overcrowding and aid restrictions have left many families without shelter. It added that it has been prevented from bringing tents and other essential supplies into Gaza for nearly six months.
On Saturday, North Sinai Governor Major General Khaled Megawer told US senators Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley that around 5,400 trucks remain stranded in Sinai, with some food aid “rotting” while awaiting clearance to enter Gaza.
On Thursday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that “the levels of death and destruction in Gaza are without parallel in recent times,” adding that “famine is no longer a looming possibility but a present-day catastrophe.”
The Palestinian Health Ministry said hunger and malnutrition have caused 322 deaths since Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza in October 2023, including over 121 children, most of them since Israel imposed a full blockade on 2 March.
According to the UN’s Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), conditions are expected to deteriorate sharply by the end of September.
Since the beginning of the war, Egypt has provided over 70 percent of all aid reaching Gaza. It delivered over 45,125 truckloads with more than 500,000 tons of food, medicine, and fuel. Of this, around 368,000 tons came directly from Egypt, with the rest supplied by international donors.
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