Fourth Egyptian aid convoy reaches Karm Abu Salem as Israel stalls entry into Gaza - Foreign Affairs

Al-Ahram Weekly

5 days ago

Egypt's fourth humanitarian aid convoy to Gaza reached the Karm Abu Salem crossing early Wednesday, after crossing from Rafah amid ongoing Israeli delays that have slowed the entry of life-saving supplies.
Dozens of trucks carrying food, medical, and relief materials were seen queuing at the border, awaiting clearance to deliver urgently needed aid to the besieged southern Gaza Strip.
According to Al-Qahera News, Egypt has delivered over 4,000 tonnes of humanitarian supplies to Gaza over the past three days, despite bureaucratic and logistical obstacles on the Israeli side.
The breakdown includes approximately 1,855 tonnes of food baskets, 1,640 tonnes of flour, 400 tonnes of personal care items, and 150 tonnes of medical aid.
Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) officials reported that Israeli authorities delayed the entry of the fourth convoy, citing concerns that some truckloads were 'unbalanced.' Several trucks were forced to return to the Egyptian side to adjust cargo or reattempt entry the following day.
The ERC, which is coordinating national humanitarian relief efforts for Gaza, launched its first convoy, named Zad El-Ezza: From Egypt to Gaza, on Sunday. That initial shipment included more than 100 trucks carrying 1,200 tonnes of supplies, primarily flour and food parcels.
On Monday, the second convoy crossed into Gaza carrying around 1,500 tonnes of aid, followed by the third convoy on Tuesday with roughly 1,300 tonnes.
Combined, the three convoys delivered critical food and medical support, including 440 tonnes of food baskets, 450 tonnes of flour, 150 tonnes of medications, and 200 tonnes of hygiene items.
Since the beginning of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, Egypt says it has facilitated the entry of more than 35,000 aid trucks, delivering over 500,000 tonnes of humanitarian relief. However, international organizations have repeatedly warned that Israel's blockade and restrictions on aid access continue to worsen conditions on the ground, starving the Strip's 2.4 million population to death.
The ERC, operating with a volunteer base of 35,000 across its logistics hubs, remains a central actor in Egypt's broader response to the humanitarian crisis in the enclave. Aid groups have emphasized the urgency of sustained access and called for the immediate removal of obstructions to humanitarian delivery.
Starvation crisis and aid access
The delivery of Egyptian aid comes amid mounting international alarm over Gaza's deepening famine, exacerbated by Israel's ongoing blockade and bombardment. For over four months, humanitarian agencies and food security experts have warned that famine is imminent. The United Nations (UN) estimates that 600 to 800 aid trucks are needed daily to sustain life in the territory, numbers that remain far out of reach.
Since October 2023, Israel's genocidal war on Gaza has killed over 60,000 Palestinians—primarily women and children—and injured over 144,000 others, with many still buried under rubble. But hunger has emerged as a second front of devastation.
Images of severely emaciated children, many of whom have been killed by the manufactured famine engineered by Israel, have triggered growing backlash from Tel Aviv's allies, including the US, and sparked calls for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid.
The context of the alert is stark: one in three people is now going without food for days at a time, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said this week. Hospitals, already decimated by bombing and supply shortages, have treated more than 20,000 children for acute malnutrition since April. At least 16 children under five have died from hunger-related causes in the last two weeks.
In recent days, at least five infants died from hunger-related causes. More than 900,000 children in Gaza are now suffering from hunger, and 70,000 have entered the stage of clinical malnutrition, putting them at imminent risk of death.
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