Egyptian Minister of Solidarity (right) packing a relief package on Thursday as part of the humanitarian aid convoy presented by the Arab League to the Gaza Strip through the Egyptian Red Crescent. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Solidarity
The AL also launched a relief convoy to Gaza from the ERC’s headquarters, the league's statement read.
The aid is part of the league's effort to "alleviate the unprecedented humanitarian disaster that the Gaza Strip has been experiencing since 7 October due to the retaliatory Israeli aggression," according to the statement.
During the press conference, Haifa Abu-Ghazaleh, assistant secretary-general and head of the Social Affairs Sector of AL to Egypt, criticized the ongoing inhuman and brutal crimes in Gaza, saying that they "amount to mass war crimes."
Israel's attacks have "claimed the lives of thousands of martyrs, injured children, women, and elderly people, targeted hospitals, schools, mosques, and churches, hindered the delivery of health, humanitarian, and relief assistance, as well as fuel, and cut off electricity and water supplies to civilians," she added.
The convoy consisted of relief materials and sustenance items such as food, water, medicines, personal hygiene products, mattresses, and blankets, Egyptian Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine El-Qabbaj said.
El-Qabbaj added that these aids are being prepared by volunteers from the ERC, who stand as valiant soldiers in El-Arish (North Sinai's capital which lies some 50 kilometres from the Rafah border crossing) and Cairo.
The aid will be delivered to the Gaza Strip through the available crossings in the coming days, according to El-Qabbaj.
The minister highlighted that this aid is part of a continuous series of humanitarian support since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the stores of relief aid in El-Arish city to support the Gaza Strip are about to run out, and the number of aid supplies received by the ERC is small, said Rami Al-Nazer, ERC’s executive director, on Thursday.
So far, Egypt has provided a total of 10,200 tons of aid, while international organizations have contributed 8,800 tons, according to El-Qabbaj.
Earlier on Tuesday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi directed the provision of extra 650 tons of food supplies to Palestinian people as part of Egypt's ongoing role in supporting Gaza at all levels.
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