Rafah: A convoy of humanitarian aid trucks began entering the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, through the secondary gate of the Rafah land port in Egypt's North Sinai province, heading toward the Karm Abu Salem crossing for onward delivery into the enclave, an official source said.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the convoy, the 105th under the initiative 'Zad Al-Ezza from Egypt to Gaza,' is carrying thousands of tons of food aid, humanitarian supplies, medical equipment and medicines, as well as petroleum products and shelter materials. This initiative, launched by the Egyptian Red Crescent on July 27, has been instrumental in delivering critical supplies, including food materials, flour, infant formula, medical supplies, medicines, and fuel to Gaza.
Israel has maintained a closure of crossings linking Gaza since March 2, following the end of the first phase of a ceasefire agreement and the failure to reach a deal to extend it. The situation escalated with intense Israeli air strikes on March 18, and renewed ground incursions into Gaza. Consequently, Israeli authorities blocked the entry of humanitarian aid trucks, fuel, and shelter supplies for displaced residents, and refused the entry of heavy equipment needed for rubble removal and reconstruction.
In May, attempts by Israeli authorities to allow limited quantities of aid into Gaza under a mechanism implemented with a U.S. security company were met with criticism. United Nations agencies, other relief organizations, and the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) rejected this arrangement, citing it contravened established international aid delivery mechanisms.
The Egyptian Red Crescent has been the national mechanism coordinating and dispatching aid to Gaza since the crisis began in October 2023. Despite the challenges, the Rafah land port has remained operational, and the organization continues to maintain a high state of readiness across its logistics hubs, supported by approximately 35,000 volunteers dedicated to ongoing relief efforts.