The first humanitarian aid convoy sent to the besieged Gaza Strip since the outbreak of war there arrived today, Saturday, via the Rafah border crossing, after the aid had been stuck in Egypt for days due to diplomatic disputes over delivery terms. The United Nations stated that the convoy, consisting of 20 trucks carrying lifesaving supplies, will be received by the Palestinian Red Crescent, but the assistance represents only a small fraction of the quantities urgently needed. It remains unclear how much aid will be allowed to pass in the coming days.
UN humanitarian affairs coordinator Martin Griffiths emphasized that this convoy "must not be the last." He stated in a press release: "I trust that this aid delivery will be the beginning of a sustained effort to provide essential supplies of food, water, medicine, and fuel to the residents of Gaza in a safe, unconditional, and unobstructed manner."
The trucks crossing from Egypt are carrying tons of relief supplies sent to Gaza and entered through the Rafah border crossing in North Sinai, which is the only outlet of the Strip to the outside world that is not overseen by Israel. Earlier, Egyptian state television broadcast footage of the aid trucks crossing from Egypt into the Gaza Strip. The World Health Organization indicated that four trucks began moving towards the Rafah border crossing en route to Gaza, noting that it is working with the Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent Societies to ensure the safe passage of these vital supplies.
A security source and a relief worker told Reuters that the loaded trucks had been prepared earlier. The head of the government media office in Gaza, Salama Maarouf, mentioned that the humanitarian aid convoy meant to enter Gaza today consists of 20 trucks including medicines, medical supplies, and a limited amount of food (canned goods). He stated that these trucks "will not be able to change the humanitarian disaster experienced by the Gaza Strip."
The entry of aid trucks into Gaza through the crossing is expected to continue, which has been closed since the escalation in the region began. Additionally, a statement from the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) indicated that 20 convoys carrying medical supplies and food will enter the Gaza Strip today from Egypt.
The US embassy in Israel noted that the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip may open today, indicating the possibility for foreign nationals to leave the besieged Palestinian territory. It pointed out that it "received information indicating that the Rafah crossing will open at 10:00 AM (07:00 GMT)" but stated, "We do not know how long it will remain open for foreign citizens to depart Gaza."
### Humanitarian Situation
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that more than 140,000 homes—nearly one-third of all homes in Gaza—have been damaged, with nearly 13,000 homes completely destroyed. The Palestinian health ministry announced that 352 individuals had died as a result of Israeli attacks on Gaza within 24 hours. The ministry stated, "The death toll in the sector has risen to 4,385, while the number of injured has increased to 13,651 since the escalation of the conflict between Hamas and Israel on October 7." Among the dead are 1,756 children and 976 women. Additionally, the ministry urged "the international community and Egypt to take immediate action to deliver fuel and emergency health needs before more victims are lost inside hospitals."
Media affiliated with Hamas reported the deaths of 13 people in an airstrike on a residential unit in Deir al-Balah in Gaza. The government media office in Gaza reported that Israeli bombardment led to the destruction of 17 mosques in the cities of the Strip, and 160 schools sustained various damages, with 19 of them rendered out of service, and more than 5,500 buildings containing 14,000 housing units were completely destroyed.
Palestinian media reported that Israeli planes bombed six houses in northern Gaza in the early hours of Saturday morning, resulting in the deaths of at least eight Palestinians and injuries to 45 others. The Jerusalem Patriarchate for the Greek Orthodox, the main denomination of Palestinian Christians, stated that Israeli forces bombed St. Porphyrius Church in Gaza City, which had sheltered hundreds of Christians and Muslims.
