Rafah: The 156th humanitarian aid convoy, "Zad Al-Izza... From Egypt to Gaza," entered the Gaza Strip via the Rafah terminal on Sunday, heading towards the Karm Abu Salem crossing.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the convoy is part of Egypt's ongoing efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where more than two million Palestinians are currently living in dire conditions. In a statement on Sunday, March 15, 2026, the Egyptian Red Crescent announced that the convoy carries 2,760 tons of comprehensive humanitarian aid, including 1,560 tons of food baskets and flour, nearly 400 tons of relief supplies, and more than 860 tons of fuel to operate hospitals and essential facilities in the region. Additionally, it includes vital winter supplies, such as 8,400 winter garments, 56,900 blankets, 9,600 mattresses, and over 17,512 mats.
The Egyptian Red Crescent has been stationed at the border since the beginning of the crisis, ensuring the Rafah crossing remains open from the Egyptian side. The organization continues its preparedness at all logistical centers and has been tirelessly working to deliver humanitarian and relief aid, which has exceeded 800,000 tons with the help of more than 65,000 volunteers from the society.
The Israeli occupation forces had closed the crossings linking the Gaza Strip as of March 2, 2025, following the completion of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, with no agreement reached on cementing the ceasefire. The truce was breached by a heavy airstrike on March 18, 2025, followed by a ground invasion in several areas of Gaza from which the forces had previously withdrawn.
Furthermore, the Israeli authorities prevented the entry of humanitarian aid trucks, fuel, and shelter materials for displaced people who had lost their homes due to the war on Gaza. They also rejected the entry of heavy machinery required for debris removal and reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip.
Humanitarian aid to Gaza resumed in May 2025 through a mechanism implemented by the occupation forces and a U.S. security company, despite objections from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which rejected the arrangement due to its violation of the established international mechanism.