Photo courtesy of the Egyptian Red Crescent
According to an ERC statement, the convoy carries over 4,700 tons of food parcels and flour, around 800 tons of medical, relief, and personal care supplies, more than 200 tons of water, and about 1,500 tons of petroleum products.
Given the deteriorating weather conditions in Gaza, the convoy also included winter essentials, such as approximately 33,780 items of winter clothing, 10,630 blankets, and 1,985 tents to shelter displaced families.
Since the outbreak of Israel’s war in October 2023, Egypt, in cooperation with the United Nations and international partners, has maintained a large-scale relief operation despite the ongoing Israeli blockade.
Over more than 760 consecutive days, Egypt has delivered over 780,000 tons of aid through the Rafah and Karm Abu Salem crossings, supported by a nationwide logistics network and a volunteer force of more than 65,000.
The relief effort has included hundreds of aid flights and maritime shipments, coordination with dozens of countries, and the entry of ambulances, fuel, and field hospitals.
Since late July, Egypt has intensified ground deliveries through the Zad Al-Izza: From Egypt to Gaza initiative, delivering food, medical supplies, shelter materials, and fuel to the strip, highlighting Egypt’s role as a principal humanitarian lifeline to Gaza.
In Gaza, seasonal influenza has escalated into a growing public health emergency, with a sharp rise in acute respiratory infections, especially among children and the elderly, amid overcrowded shelters and worsening living conditions.
The health crisis has been worsened by severe shortages of medicines, medical supplies, and diagnostic capacity, along with widespread damage to healthcare facilities, many of which are only partially operational or have been forced to close.
Harsh winter weather and lack of heating have further increased health complications among displaced families.
Medical officials warn that continued restrictions on the entry of medical supplies and fuel risk worsening the overall health situation, raising fears of a broader collapse of Gaza’s already strained healthcare system if humanitarian access is not maintained.
At Gaza’s overcrowded hospitals, patients and doctors fear further deterioration in care if Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is forced to halt operations under an Israeli ban set to take effect in March.
Israel has announced it will bar dozens of aid organizations, including MSF, from operating in Gaza, a move that has drawn international criticism and raised concerns about severe disruptions to already limited medical and food supplies.
MSF currently provides about 20 percent of Gaza’s hospital beds and operates around 20 health centres, delivering hundreds of thousands of medical consultations each year.
Aid groups warn that Gaza’s health system, already weakened by prolonged conflict, infrastructure damage, and shortages of electricity, water, fuel, and medicines, would struggle to function without MSF. They fear that emergency, maternal, and pediatric care could collapse if international medical support is reduced.
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