Humanitarian Aid Begins Entering Gaza Strip
Humanitarian aid began crossing into the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning, following nearly a full day of delays.
According to the United Nations (U.N.), a 20-truck convoy crossed the territory’s border with Egypt.
This aid comes amidst a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, leaving it deprived of basic necessities like food and water as the territory finds itself in the crossfire between Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel.
“I am confident that this delivery will be the start of a sustainable effort to provide essential supplies – including food, water, medicine and fuel – to the people of Gaza, in a safe, dependable, unconditional and unimpeded manner,”
U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said in a statement posted to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Hamas also acknowledged that a 20-truck convoy had come into Gaza with medicine and food supplies in a statement, according to Al Jazeera.
“A convoy carrying much-needed humanitarian assistance crossed the Rafah border this morning into Gaza to address the growing humanitarian crisis,”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a post on X. “We thank our partners in Egypt and Israel, and the United Nations, for facilitating the safe passage of these life-saving shipments.”
A convoy carrying much-needed humanitarian assistance crossed the Rafah border this morning into Gaza to address the growing humanitarian crisis. We thank our partners in Egypt and Israel, and the United Nations, for facilitating the safe passage of these life-saving shipments.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) October 21, 2023
An Israeli ground invasion into the territory, which could bring along with it a further loss of life of those in Gaza, is expected soon.
The allowance of aid into Gaza comes after a Friday AP report that 55 trucks with aid were stuck at the Gaza-Egypt border, also known as the Rafah crossing. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres visited the border to advocate for the transfer of humanitarian aid.
“We absolutely need to have these trucks moving as quickly as possible and as many as necessary, but for that, there must be a sustained effort,” he said in a speech at the border.
With information from The Hill
