About 200 aid trucks, including four designated for fuel, are scheduled to enter Gaza on Sunday through the Kerem Shalom border crossing, according to Khaled Zayed, the head of the Egyptian Red Crescent Society in North Sinai. This development was reported to Reuters as a significant effort to alleviate the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Egyptian state-affiliated Al Qahera News TV broadcast footage on the social media platform X, showing the convoy of trucks as they approached the crossing, ready to deliver much-needed supplies.
The Rafah border crossing, which has traditionally been a vital conduit for humanitarian aid and commercial goods into Gaza, has been closed for nearly three weeks. This closure followed Israeli control of the Palestinian side of the crossing amidst an escalation in military operations since May 6.
With the Rafah crossing shut, reports have emerged of food supplies bound for Gaza beginning to spoil, exacerbating the already dire situation. In response, Egypt and the United States reached an agreement on May 24 to reroute aid through Israel’s nearby Kerem Shalom crossing until legal arrangements can facilitate the reopening of Rafah from the Palestinian side.
The urgency of this aid movement is underscored by warnings from a global hunger monitor, which has indicated the looming threat of famine in parts of Gaza, where 2.3 million residents face critical shortages of food and essential supplies.
