Aid convoys move from Arish towards the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza

Humanitarian aid caravans stationed in Arish, the capital of North Sinai Governorate, headed towards the Rafah crossing in the direction of Gaza, which is under Israeli bombardment, according to relief workers.

Hiba Rashid, who leads the Egyptian non-governmental organization "Marsad Foundation," stated, "We have reached the crossing...and are awaiting the next step," as hundreds of trucks have gathered along the 40-kilometer road between Arish and Rafah, according to other relief sources.

An official from the Egyptian Red Crescent informed AFP, requesting anonymity, "We have no knowledge of the entry date, but we were asked to move towards the Rafah crossing."

Humanitarian aid shipments have arrived by air from various countries and international organizations. Egypt has sent dozens of trucks as calls for donations increase worldwide. The European Union has already announced a humanitarian airlift to Egypt to deliver aid to 2.4 million people in Gaza, half of them children.

So far, after four attacks on the crossing during ten days of war between Israel and Hamas and the "complete blockade" ordered by Israel, it has not been possible to deliver any aid to the small enclave that has suffered from wars and poverty for decades.

While Washington urges Egypt to allow Americans to leave Gaza, Egypt responded that no one would leave unless aid enters.

On Monday evening, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and U.S. President Joe Biden discussed aid to Gaza in a phone call.

The Red Crescent official saw signs of a possible agreement "to allow aid into Gaza and permit foreign passport holders to leave the territory."



AFP