Synopsis
On January 19, humanitarian aid trucks made their way into Gaza from Egypt as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect. Approximately 600 trucks filled with supplies are expected to enter daily to alleviate the humanitarian crisis.Key Takeaways
- First aid trucks entered Gaza on Jan 19.
- Ceasefire agreement facilitates daily aid deliveries.
- Inspection of trucks conducted by Israeli authorities.
- International mediators are monitoring the ceasefire.
- Humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains dire.
Cairo/Gaza, Jan 19 (NationPress) The initial humanitarian aid trucks have successfully crossed into Gaza from Egypt on Sunday as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began to take effect, according to reports from Palestinian sources.
These sources informed Xinhua news agency that the first batch of humanitarian aid entered the coastal enclave via the Kerem Shalom border crossing located in southern Gaza.
Earlier today, Egyptian state-run Nile TV broadcast footage depicting numerous aid trucks transiting the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, where they were inspected by Israeli authorities prior to entering Gaza.
Delegations from mediating nations Qatar and the United States, along with representatives from Palestine and Israel, arrived in Cairo on Sunday to oversee the execution of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, as reported by state television.
As part of the ceasefire arrangement, approximately 600 trucks filled with humanitarian supplies, including 50 dedicated fuel trucks, are expected to enter Gaza daily to alleviate the dire humanitarian situation.
The first phase of the ceasefire, which spans 42 days, was finalized on Wednesday through the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, and began to take effect on Sunday following Hamas's submission of a list of three Israeli female captives scheduled for release later in the day.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also confirmed that the ceasefire agreement is now in effect.
On the previous day, Al-Ansari announced that the ceasefire in Gaza would commence on Sunday, Jan. 19, at 8:30 a.m. local time (0630 GMT) in Gaza.
Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on a ceasefire-for-hostages deal on Wednesday following extensive mediation efforts by Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S.
Egypt resumed the dispatch of humanitarian aid trucks to the Gaza Strip via the Rafah border crossing after the recently established ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas came into effect, according to the Egyptian State TV.
Egypt's Minister of Health Khaled Abdel Ghaffar and Minister of Social Solidarity Maya Morsy arrived at Arish Airport early Saturday to evaluate hospital preparedness for incoming injured individuals from Gaza and to oversee the final arrangements for aid deliveries to the region, as reported by the Egyptian state news agency.
On Friday evening, the AlQahera News Channel detailed a significant number of aid trucks lined up at the Rafah border crossing, prepared to enter Gaza. These trucks are said to carry tens of thousands of essential food items meant for Gaza’s inhabitants.
Arish, along with its airport located in North Sinai, acts as a center for receiving and transporting international relief aid into Gaza.
Deliveries of aid have faced interruptions since May 2024, when Israeli forces took control of the Palestinian section of the Rafah border crossing.
Qatar announced a three-phase ceasefire agreement late Wednesday to conclude over 15 months of deadly Israeli assaults on the Gaza Strip.
According to local health authorities, nearly 47,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, have lost their lives and over 110,700 have been injured in Israel's recent war on Gaza since October 7, 2023.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel is also confronted with a genocide case at the International Court of Justice due to its actions against the enclave.
