Cairo: The Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) dispatched its 81st "Zad Al-Izza: From Egypt to Gaza" convoy on Wednesday, carrying more than 10,000 tons of urgent humanitarian assistance.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the convoy included over 5,100 tons of food and flour, 3,500 tons of medical and relief supplies, 1,400 tons of fuel, 44,000 blankets, 90,000 winter clothing items, 450 mattresses, and around 12,000 tents.

Egypt continues to lead a significant humanitarian relief operation for Gaza since the outbreak of the conflict in October 2023. ERC teams across all logistics hubs have remained on full alert, facilitating the delivery of more than half a million tons of humanitarian and relief aid, supported by a volunteer force exceeding 35,000.

Official data show that Egypt has channeled more than 665,000 tons of humanitarian assistance into the strip over the past two years, representing nearly 70 percent of all aid delivered to Gaza during the war. Egypt's relief effort has been conducted in cooperation with 59 partner countries, with aid transported through 943 humanitarian flights and 617 maritime shipments before being consolidated at ERC logistics centers for overland delivery to Gaza.

Through the Rafah and Karm Abu Salem crossings, Egypt has facilitated the entry of 214 ambulances, approximately 91,000 tons of fuel, and four field hospitals, alongside continuous shipments of medicines, surgical equipment, therapeutic supplies, and shelter materials. Inside Gaza, the ERC, working closely with UN agencies and medical partners, has delivered more than 260,000 medical services, 171,000 relief services, and over 86,000 family-link restoration services, while also providing cash assistance to 2,800 families displaced by the war.

Since 27 July, Egypt has intensified land-based relief operations through the "Zad Al-Izza: From Egypt to Gaza" convoys, which have grown into a continuous supply chain delivering more than 130,000 tons of food, medicine, fuel, infant formula, tents, blankets, and winter clothing. However, heavy winter rains battered the Gaza Strip over the past two days, flooding thousands of tents and makeshift shelters and deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis, according to aid agencies operating on the ground.

Torrential downpours turned camps into muddy basins, with water levels in some areas rising to nearly half a meter, submerging bedding, food supplies, and personal belongings. Several field hospitals were forced to halt operations temporarily due to flooding, as relief organizations warned of an urgent shortage of adequate shelter materials.

Humanitarian groups said more than 13,000 tents have been damaged since the rains began, and the number of displaced families requiring emergency shelter is now estimated at 300,000 as winter intensifies. Aid workers report rising cases of respiratory infections among children, while shortages of blankets, warm clothing, and waterproof tents are worsening conditions in overcrowded camps.

The humanitarian strain comes as Gaza's economy continues to collapse, with a new UNCTAD analysis describing the current contraction as the worst in the territory's history. Two years of conflict, combined with movement restrictions and widespread destruction of commercial infrastructure, have reversed decades of socio-economic development. With unemployment soaring and markets barely functioning, more than three-quarters of the population now depends almost entirely on humanitarian assistance.

In parallel, a mobile pediatric clinic repurposed from Pope Francis's former "popemobile" is preparing to enter Gaza to provide medical services for children, pending final approval from Israeli authorities. Humanitarian organizations say the clinic could play a vital role at a time when health facilities are overwhelmed, damaged, or flooded.

Despite the temporary truce, aid delivery continues to face delays and restrictions, particularly for winter items such as tents, blankets, hygiene kits, and heating fuel. Relief agencies warn that unless supply flows increase rapidly, Gaza could face a severe winter emergency, with rising health risks, water contamination, and further displacement.