Rafah Border Crossing Opens, 20 Aid Trucks Enter Palestine Side (image-twitter/PalestineRCS)
Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has been opened letting in 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid to Palestine, a security source and an Egyptian Red Crescent official said.
Over 200 trucks carrying roughly 3000 tonnes of aid had been positioned near the crossing for days before heading to Gaza as Palestinians were running out of food, medicine and water in their territory which is under Israel siege.
Egypt television showed several trucks entering Gaza strip on the 15th day of genocide. Israel has sealed off the territory for past two weeks, forcing Palestinians to ration food and water. Hospitals were running short of medicines and fuel for emergency generators amid a territory-wide blackout.
Israel has been continuously striking civilians in Gaza following an October 7 rampage by Hamas fighters on Israel.
An AFP journalist on the Palestinian side of the crossway saw 36 empty trailers entering into the terminal and heading towards the Egyptian side, where they were to be loaded with incoming aids. Four ambulances, two UN vehicles and two Red Cross vehicles were also seen heading into the terminal.
Cargo planes and trucks have been delivering aid to the crossing but none was delivered to Gaza so far. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterras on Friday has visited the Egyptian side of the crossing to oversee the preparation of aid delivery.
He said that these are not trucks, they are lifeline and they are the difference between life and death for so many people in Gaza.
.@WHO medical supplies crossed the Rafah border. But the needs are far higher.
To meet the urgent health needs of all people in Gaza, we call for:
-safe passage of additional aid convoys across the enclave
-protection of all humanitarian workers
-sustained access for health aid— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) October 21, 2023
Rafah is the only border in Gaza which is not controlled by Israel and was agreed upon to be opened following a request from US.
The Rafah crossing is situated at the southern part of Gaza bordering Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. Both Isarel and Egypt enforced strict control over the passage of people and goods as part of a blockade imposed in 2007 after Hamas came into power.
As per the report of Health Ministry of Gaza, al least 4,137 people have been killed in the Gaza strip ever since Israel began bombing and 13,162 are injured.
