Egypt sends 2,820 tonnes of aid to Gaza, receives wounded Palestinians

Ahram Online , Tuesday 31 Mar 2026

The Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) said on Tuesday it had sent 2,820 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Gaza and received a new group of wounded Palestinians, as Cairo scales up relief operations to the enclave.

ERC workers inspect Trucks carrying supplies and aide heading to Gaza at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing. Photo courtesy of ERC.

The aid was delivered through the 168th Zad El-Ezza: From Egypt to Gaza convoy, which set off early in the day carrying food parcels, medical supplies, fuel for hospitals and vital facilities, tents, and other relief items.

At the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, ERC teams received the 28th group of wounded and sick Palestinians along with their companions, facilitating their movement and providing logistical and humanitarian support.

The organization said it also distributed hot meals, winter clothing, and personal care items, and provided “return kits” to those heading back into Gaza.

Egypt has coordinated aid deliveries into Gaza since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on the strip in October 2023, working with the United Nations (UN) and other partners despite restrictions on access.

More than 800,000 tonnes of aid have been delivered through the Rafah and Karm Abu Salem crossings, including food, medicine, fuel, and shelter materials, according to Egyptian officials.

The ERC, acting as the country’s main aid coordinator, manages a logistics network supported by tens of thousands of volunteers and has facilitated relief shipments and flights from multiple countries.

Inside Gaza, Egypt has supported the deployment of ambulances, fuel supplies, and field hospitals, while continuing to evacuate wounded Palestinians and assist arrivals at Rafah.

Aid flows and medical evacuations remain tied to the status of border crossings, which have operated intermittently under security and political constraints.

Separately, the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) called for an international investigation into the killing of more than 390 of its staff during the war, describing it as the deadliest conflict in United Nations history.

Philippe Lazzarini said the proposal for a high-level probe has been raised with the UN Secretary-General and member states but has yet to be implemented due to ongoing hostilities, noting that Israeli airstrikes have continued despite a ceasefire, brokered by Cairo, Ankara, Doha, and Washington in October.