Trucks carrying supplies and aid to Gaza passing through the Rafah border crossing. Photo courtesy of ERC.
The effort is part of the Zad Al-Izza: From Egypt to Gaza initiative, launched on 27 July to ease the suffering of Palestinians, which has delivered over 130,000 tons of aid to date.
The convoy includes about 5,600 tons of food parcels and flour, more than 2,750 tons of essential medical and relief supplies, and over 1,150 tons of petroleum products, according to a statement by the Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC).
Egypt’s humanitarian response to Gaza has become the largest and most sustained relief operation in modern history, continuing for more than 760 consecutive days since the start of the war despite the ongoing Israeli blockade.
Since 7 October 2023, Egypt, in collaboration with the UN and other international partners, has delivered over 665,000 tons of aid to the Gaza Strip through the Rafah and Karm Abu Salem crossings, with Cairo providing around 70 percent of all assistance that has entered the territory.
The ERC has coordinated with 59 countries, received 943 humanitarian flights and 617 maritime shipments, and mobilized a volunteer force of over 35,000 persons to keep aid flowing.
Moreover, Egypt has facilitated the entry of 214 ambulances, delivered nearly 91,000 tons of fuel for hospitals and essential facilities, and deployed four field hospitals inside Gaza.
The ERC has also provided more than 86,000 family-link services, 171,000 relief services, 260,000 medical services, and cash assistance to 2,800 Palestinian families.
Over the past 48 hours, humanitarian conditions in Gaza have worsened amid intensified bombardment in central and southern areas.
UN agencies report a critical absence of food, clean water, and medical supplies, while cold weather worsens the plight of displaced families sheltering in makeshift tents.
Hospitals are operating at minimal capacity due to critical shortages of fuel and medical equipment.
UNRWA and other agencies say food insecurity has reached “catastrophic levels,” particularly in Deir Al-Balah, Khan Younis, and northern Rafah, where civilians have gone several days without regular food distributions because of ongoing assaults.
Many bakeries have stopped operating as flour supplies run out and fuel becomes scarce, leading to long queues and growing reports of families surviving on a single meal a day.
Medical facilities remain overwhelmed. Field hospitals in central Gaza are operating at double or triple capacity, while major hospitals, including the European Hospital in Khan Younis, have issued urgent warnings about dwindling fuel, surgical supplies, and anesthesia.
Several neonatal units have been forced to manually ventilate infants for hours during power cuts.
Emergency teams report rising numbers of untreated trauma cases, infections caused by unsafe sanitation, and severe dehydration among displaced children.
Winter conditions are worsening the crisis: night temperatures are dropping, makeshift tents are flooding from intermittent rainfall, and families lack heating, blankets, and dry clothing.
Aid workers warn of a likely surge in seasonal respiratory illnesses as thousands shelter in overcrowded spaces without proper ventilation.
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