A second convoy of 17 trucks carrying humanitarian aid arrived at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, poised to deliver crucial supplies to the Gaza Strip. The enclave has been facing a dire humanitarian situation due to ongoing Israeli airstrikes. The convoy follows a 20-truck aid mission that reached Gaza on Saturday.
The aid package includes food, medical supplies, water, blankets, clothing, and other essentials, according to Ra’ed el-Gebaly, a volunteer with the Egyptian Food Bank. The trucks have been organized by the National Alliance for Civil Development Work, a coalition of Egyptian non-governmental organizations (NGOs), in partnership with the Egyptian Red Crescent. The aid is set to be distributed by the United Nations, the Palestine Red Crescent Society, and the Red Cross in Gaza.
Abdel-Rahman Habat, of the Cairo-based Life Makers Foundation, stressed that current aid levels are insufficient for meeting the basic needs of the besieged population. About 200 more vehicles are queued at the Rafah crossing, awaiting entry into Gaza.
Last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres labeled Egypt’s El-Arish airport and the Rafah crossing as “lifelines to the people of Gaza” during his visit to Egypt.