Aid trucks begin to enter Gaza

2023-10-21 16:41:51, Kosova & Bota CNA

A convoy of 20 Egyptian Red Crescent trucks carrying humanitarian aid, including food, medicine and water, entered the Gaza Strip on Saturday from the Rafah crossing on the border with Egypt.

"These trucks must move as soon as possible in a sustainable and safe manner from Egypt to Gaza," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Saturday at a high-level meeting in Cairo.
He thanked Egypt for making it possible to send the convoy.

"But the people of Gaza need a much, much greater commitment, for continued aid at the necessary level," he said. "We are working tirelessly with all parties involved to make this happen."

Dozens of trucks have been standing near Rafah for several days, waiting for the border to be opened to transport aid to the more than 2 million residents of Gaza.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths said in a statement that "vital supplies" had been provided by the Egyptian Red Crescent and the United Nations.

It is the first time aid has been allowed into Gaza since Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 that killed an estimated 1,400 people. Israel responded with a bombing campaign and a total blockade of Gaza. More than 4,000 Palestinians have been killed. Israel has warned of a ground offensive.

US President Joe Biden announced a limited aid deal for Gaza during his visit to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, but its implementation did not begin immediately as the United Nations worked with Egypt, Israel and the United States to clarify its terms. and to mitigate imposed restrictions.

The World Food Program said three of its trucks with emergency food were part of the convoy. The World Health Organization said it had sent four trucks of medical equipment to Gaza.

The US Embassy in Israel warned that any foreign national attempting to leave Gaza while the Rafah border crossing is open "should be prepared for a potentially chaotic situation on both sides of the crossing". VOA