Cairo: The 154th Zad Al-Ezzah humanitarian aid convoy from Egypt entered the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, to deliver assistance to Palestinians, passing through the Rafah Border Crossing heading to the Karem Shalom crossing. The move is part of Egypt's ongoing efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis affecting more than two million Palestinians in the territory.
According to State Information Service Egypt, a senior official stated that the trucks were lined up in the staging area as part of the Zad Al-Ezzah convoy from Egypt to Gaza, noting that they are subject to inspection by Israeli authorities at Karem Shalom before entering the Strip. The convoy carries large quantities of food and relief supplies, including food baskets, flour, fresh bread, legumes, preserved foods, medicines, personal care items, tents, and fuel.
Israeli forces had closed crossings into Gaza from March 2, 2025, following the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, and escalated hostilities with airstrikes on March 18, 2025, along with limited ground incursions into previously evacuated areas. Authorities also blocked humanitarian trucks, fuel, and shelter supplies for displaced families, while preventing heavy equipment from entering for rubble removal and reconstruction.
Aid deliveries resumed in May 2025 under a mechanism enforced by Israeli authorities and a U.S. security company, despite objections from UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) over deviations from international protocols. On July 27, 2025, the Israeli army announced a temporary 10-hour truce, suspending military operations in parts of Gaza to allow humanitarian assistance.
Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States continued efforts to reach a comprehensive ceasefire and facilitate the exchange of prisoners. This culminated in an agreement on October 9, 2025, between Hamas and Israel for the first phase of a ceasefire, brokered in Sharm El-Sheikh through U.S., Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediation, following a plan by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The second phase of the agreement came into effect on February 2, 2026, after completing the exchange of prisoners and returning the remains of the last Israeli detainee under the first phase. Palestinians were allowed to enter Gaza, and injured individuals were permitted to travel to Egyptian hospitals for treatment after the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing was reopened.