A new shipment of food and medical aid provided by the Egyptian army reached the Rafah border crossing on its way to Gaza, Egypt's state news agency MENA reported.

MENA quoted an official at the governorate of North Sinai where Rafah is located saying the Egyptian Red Crescent is coordinating with its Palestinian counterpart to deliver the aid.

The Egyptian army said on Sunday it would continue to pump food and humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip, where the Israeli army has killed more than 1,000 people – mostly civilians – in three weeks.

Fifteen military trucks arrived in Palestinian territory on Sunday carrying 50,000 boxes of food and supplies, the army said.

The Rafah crossing remains largely closed over security concerns in the border Sinai Peninsula, adjoining the coastal enclave and Israel, where the army continues to battle an Islamist insurgency. Authorities have allowed the entry of Palestinians on occasion, intermittently opening the passage following the outbreak of fighting in Gaza.

More than 50 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the conflict began on 8 July.

The Egyptian military had sent 500 tonnes of food and medical aid to Gaza shortly after the eruption of the current attacks and another aid convoy organized by Egyptian activists delivered LE2.3 million worth of medical aid from donations to the territory on Friday.