Cairo: SiltaNews – News Desk
The 94th humanitarian aid convoy entered the Gaza Strip on Monday via the Rafah border crossing in North Sinai. The convoy was routed toward the Kerem Abu Salem crossing for inspection and entry into the Strip. An official source at the Rafah border crossing said the trucks, which are part of the 94th “Zad Al-Izza from Egypt to Gaza” convoy, carried humanitarian supplies, medical equipment and shelter materials for Palestinians. The source also noted that the trucks were undergoing inspection by Israeli authorities before final entry into the Strip.
The “Zad Al-Izza from Egypt to Gaza” convoy, launched by the Egyptian Red Crescent on July 27, includes thousands of tons of aid, ranging from food supplies, flour and infant formula to medical equipment, medicines and fuel. Israeli forces had closed the crossings into the Gaza Strip since March 2, following the end of the first phase of the cease-fire agreement and the failure to solidify a longer truce.
The forces violated the truce with heavy aerial bombardment on March 18 and resumed ground incursions into various areas of the Gaza Strip. This occurred after they had previously withdrawn from those areas. In addition, Israeli authorities prevented the entry of aid trucks, fuel and shelter supplies for those displaced by the conflict. They also refused to allow heavy equipment, necessary for debris removal and reconstruction, into the Strip.
Last May, Israeli authorities allowed only limited quantities of aid into the Strip, quantities far below the minimum needs of residents. This limited access was facilitated through a mechanism implemented in cooperation with an American security company. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), along with other U.N. agencies and relief organizations, rejected this mechanism, citing its violation of established international procedures.
The Egyptian Red Crescent has served as the national mechanism for coordinating and distributing aid to the Gaza Strip since the crisis began in October 2023. The Rafah land port was not completely closed during that period, and the Red Crescent maintains readiness in all logistical centers, continuing its efforts to bring in aid with the help of 35,000 volunteers.