Egyptian aid waiting to enter Gaza

Around 20 large vehicles carrying essential items like food, clean water, and medicine might soon get permission to go into Gaza.

Israel stopped supplying electricity, water, food, and medicine to Gaza after Hamas militants attacked on October 7th.

Since then, the 2. 1 million people living in Gaza have been quickly running out of necessary items.

However, important groups that help people warn that giving aid will only make a small impact.

“The UN says that at least 100 trucks of help are needed to support the many people living in Gaza,” explained Shaina Low from the Norwegian Refugee Council to the BBC.

Right now, it is believed that only 20 people will be allowed in.

Even before the war began, 1. 2 million people depended on food assistance from UNWRA, according to Juliette Touma, the spokesperson of the UN organization in Amman, who spoke to the BBC.

Many people in the Gaza Strip are very poor. Even before the war started, the situation was really bad. “It’s turning into a sorrowful situation,” she expressed.

US President Joe Biden and Egypt‘s President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi agreed to send a small amount of aid through Egypt’s Rafah crossing.

After a short trip to Israel, Mr Biden talked to Mr al-Sisi on the phone.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel will not stop goods from Egypt from reaching the people living in southern Gaza.

But the government only said yes to letting food, water, and medicine in – not things like fuel that are really needed.

A report from the United Nations about Gaza stated that fuel is very important, and not having enough fuel is making the water crisis worse. The machines that make saltwater clean and the machines that pump water can’t work without fuel.
The aid agreement provides some hope for the many people in Gaza. Before these discussions, it was not known how any help would reach regular people.

Israel has stated that it will not let any help come through its land until Hamas sets free the people they are holding as captives. Also, no aid has been able to move through the Rafah crossing in Egypt.

In an interview with the BBC’s Newshour, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry explained that the crossing into Gaza had been bombed four times, and there was no permission given for trucks and vehicles to enter Gaza safely.

“He said he wants to find out why the crossing is being attacked and who is attacking it. ”

It is not clear when exactly people who need help will receive aid. The road at the Rafah crossing needs fixing first so that trucks can go through.

However, according to Mohsen Sarhan, who works at the Egyptian Food Bank, there is not much time left before supplies run out. He said there were 120 trucks ready to bring help and they were waiting at the border to cross safely.

We are really mad because we found out that people in that area don’t have any water left. They don’t have any more body bags available. They don’t have anything left.