Trucks carrying much-needed humanitarian aid entered Gaza following the implementation of a long-anticipated truce between Israel and Hamas, according to the United Nations.
“First trucks of supplies started entering minutes after the ceasefire took effect on Sunday morning,” said Jonathan Whittall, interim chief of the UN’s OCHA aid agency for the Palestinian territories, in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “Humanitarian partners have worked tirelessly over the past days to prepare and distribute a surge of aid across all of Gaza.”
An Egyptian source, speaking anonymously, reported that “260 trucks of aid and 16 of fuel” entered through the Israeli-controlled Karem Abu Salem crossing and the Nitzana crossing between Egypt and Israel. Journalists also observed hundreds of trucks carrying supplies at the Rafah border crossing and in El Arish, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) to the west.
Aid Flow Resumes Through Vital Crossings
The trucks were waiting to be screened at the Israeli crossings with Egypt before being allowed entry into Gaza. Some returned empty after delivering their cargo, while a dozen ambulances were seen exiting through the main Rafah gate.
The Rafah crossing, previously a crucial entry point for aid, had been closed since May when Israeli forces occupied the Palestinian side. Its reopening marks a significant step in facilitating humanitarian relief to the region.
The End of a Long Siege
The truce comes after more than 15 months of devastating conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began on October 7, 2023. The agreement, brokered by mediators from Qatar, the United States, and Egypt, followed months of intense negotiations. It went into effect just one day before Donald Trump’s inauguration as U.S. president.
As aid trucks began rolling into Gaza, hopes rose for continued relief to the besieged region, though the path to recovery remains long and uncertain.
