Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee speaks with a volunteer from the Egyptian Red Crescent during her visit to the Rafah border crossing in Arish. Photo: McEntee’s official X account
McEntee made the remarks during a press briefing at Rafah, where she observed preparations for aid delivery into Gaza amid worsening humanitarian conditions in the Strip.
Earlier, the ERC said its latest convoy carried 6,850 tonnes of humanitarian, relief, and winter supplies intended to address urgent shortages caused by ongoing hostilities, displacement, and harsh weather.
According to the ERC, the convoy included 4,270 tonnes of food parcels and flour, 980 tonnes of medical and relief supplies, 70 tonnes of hygiene items, 50 tonnes of water, and 1,480 tonnes of fuel. Winter assistance included 20,200 clothing items, 4,500 blankets, and 1,926 tents.
The ERC is the national body coordinating aid deliveries to Gaza through Egypt.
McEntee was accompanied by North Sinai Governor Khaled Megawer during a tour of the ERC’s logistics centres and warehouses in the city of Arish, a key staging point for aid bound for Gaza. She commended ERC volunteers for their role in facilitating assistance to the enclave.
Megawer said Egypt remains committed to delivering aid to Gaza despite what he described as ongoing obstacles to access. He said efforts are focused on providing shelter, including tents and mobile housing units, and mitigating the impact of severe winter weather on displaced Palestinians.
The latest convoy comes as Gaza faces an escalating humanitarian crisis following more than a year of war and continued restrictions on aid access. In August, the United Nations (UN) declared a famine in Gaza, citing acute shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies linked to Israel’s blockade.
Large parts of Gaza’s healthcare system have been damaged or rendered inoperable, while hospitals that remain open are overcrowded and face shortages of fuel, electricity, and medical equipment. Aid agencies have warned that essential services, including emergency care and maternal and child health, risk collapse without sustained access to supplies.
The humanitarian situation has been further compounded by continued Israeli airstrikes, mass displacement, and severe winter storms, leaving hundreds of thousands of Palestinians without adequate shelter.
Since October 2023, Egypt has served as the primary entry point for aid into Gaza, delivering more than 45,000 aid trucks carrying over 780,000 tonnes of supplies, according to official figures. Egyptian authorities say this accounts for roughly 70 percent of all humanitarian assistance sent to the Strip.
In July, the ERC launched the Zad El-Ezza: From Egypt to Gaza initiative to support sustained aid deliveries, including food, water, baby formula, medicines, medical equipment, shelter materials, and fuel.
Short link: