Aid trucks start moving from Egypt to besieged Gaza Strip

Humanitarian aid trucks began heading toward Gaza from Egypt on Sunday, according to Egypt’s state-linked Al Qahera News TV. This development comes after sustained international pressure and urgent warnings from aid organisations about worsening hunger in the Palestinian territory.

Israel, meanwhile, said it had begun aid airdrops into Gaza the previous day and was introducing additional measures to address the growing humanitarian crisis.

The Israeli military announced plans to open "humanitarian corridors" to ensure the safe passage of UN aid convoys and to implement "humanitarian pauses" in densely populated zones to facilitate relief efforts.

Reporting from the Rafah border crossing, an Al Qahera correspondent noted that dozens of trucks loaded with humanitarian supplies were making their way to the Karam Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing in southern Gaza, Reuters reported.

International relief agencies have warned that Gaza’s 2.2 million residents are facing widespread hunger, claiming that food supplies have nearly vanished since Israel halted all deliveries to the region in March. Although supplies resumed in May, new restrictions reportedly continue to hamper access.

In contrast, Israeli authorities have asserted that sufficient quantities of food have entered the territory and placed the blame for any shortages on the United Nations.

They argue that UN agencies are not distributing the aid effectively, while UN representatives have responded by saying they are doing their best under the constraints imposed by Israel.

The announcement of Israeli airdrops came shortly after indirect ceasefire discussions between Israel and Hamas in Doha failed to produce an agreement.

According to the Israeli military, these airdrops are being coordinated with global aid groups and include basic supplies like flour, sugar, and canned goods—spread across seven pallets.

Palestinian officials also acknowledged that aid airdrops had started in northern parts of Gaza.

Israel’s foreign ministry noted that the military would implement “humanitarian pauses” on Sunday morning in both civilian areas and designated aid corridors, though it did not elaborate on how these would be carried out.

The Israeli Defense Forces, in a public statement, denied allegations of starvation in Gaza, describing such claims as part of a misinformation effort allegedly driven by Hamas.

The military added that ensuring food reaches civilians is the responsibility of the UN and other aid bodies, and called on them to improve both the delivery process and safeguards to prevent supplies from ending up with Hamas.