Rafah: The 137th humanitarian aid convoy began entering the Gaza Strip Thursday, via the secondary gate of the Rafah Border Crossing in North Sinai, heading toward the Karem Abu Salem Crossing in preparation for delivery into the territory.
According to State Information Service Egypt, a reliable source at Rafah Border Crossing stated that the trucks, part of the ‘Zad Al-Ezza from Egypt to Gaza’ convoy, are carrying large quantities of food and relief supplies. These include food parcels, flour, fresh bread, legumes, canned goods, medicines, personal care items, tents, and fuel.
The Egyptian Red Crescent has maintained a presence at the border since the start of the crisis. Rafah Border Crossing has never been fully closed from the Egyptian side, the source noted. The organization has continued operations at its logistics centers and efforts to facilitate the entry of humanitarian and relief aid, which has exceeded 800,000 tons, supported by more than 65,000 volunteers.
Israeli occupation forces had previously closed crossings linking Gaza on March 2, 2025, after the first phase of the ceasefire agreement expired without a deal to solidify the truce. The ceasefire was breached with air strikes on March 18, 2025, followed by renewed ground incursions into areas of Gaza. Occupation forces also prevented the entry of humanitarian aid trucks, fuel, and shelter supplies for displaced people and refused to allow in heavy equipment needed for rubble removal and reconstruction.
Aid deliveries to Gaza resumed in May 2025 under a mechanism implemented by Israeli authorities and a US security company, despite objections from the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which indicated it contravened established international procedures.
The Israeli military later announced a 10-hour ‘temporary truce’ on Sunday, July 27, 2025, to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered. Mediators Egypt, Qatar, and the US continued efforts toward a comprehensive ceasefire agreement and the exchange of prisoners and detainees, culminating in a phased plan that included the entry into force of the second phase on Feb. 2, 2026. Palestinians were subsequently allowed to enter Gaza, and wounded individuals were permitted to leave for treatment in Egyptian hospitals.