First aid trucks enter Gaza as Israeli attacks escalate
The US Embassy in Israel confirms receiving information about the opening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt for foreigners to pass
The first humanitarian aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning, coming from the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on the fifteenth day of the war between Israel and Hamas, which controls the territory. Israeli airstrikes continue to claim more lives and injuries among civilians. Twenty trucks carrying aid were seen crossing the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, while earlier 36 empty trucks entered the crossing from Egypt in preparation for loading with aid.
These trucks carry tons of relief supplies destined for Gaza and entered through the Rafah border crossing in northern Sinai, which is the only gateway for the Gaza Strip to the outside world not controlled by Israel. Four ambulances, two from the United Nations and two from the Red Cross, were also seen on the Palestinian side.
The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, emphasized that this convoy “must not be the last”.
He said in a statement, “I believe that this delivery of aid will be the beginning of a sustainable effort to provide essential supplies of food, water, medicine, and fuel to the people of Gaza, in a safe, unconditional, and unobstructed manner”.
A statement from the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) mentioned that a convoy carrying medical supplies and food will enter the Gaza Strip from Egypt on Saturday.
The Gaza Government Media Office warned that the aid convoy that entered the territory today through the Rafah land crossing “will not meet the current needs of the sector, nor how”.
However, Salama Ma’arouf, head of the Government Media Office, stated to Anadolu, “We emphasize that the aid convoy that entered today, consisting of 20 trucks, including trucks loaded with water, canned goods, and some medical supplies, is much less than Gaza‘s needs under normal circumstances”.
He added that “the sector used to receive more than 500 trucks carrying various necessities” before the war.
He continued, “This convoy and many others like it will not meet the needs of the sector at present and how, especially in light of the non-delivery of fuel, which has become a priority for all service sectors due to its scarcity in some areas and depletion in other areas”.
The media official stressed that “permanently opening the Rafah crossing and inaugurating a secure passage for the entry of vital necessities are extremely urgent and essential to save the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, and to quickly respond to the priorities set by the service authorities in the sector, especially the necessary fuel for operation”.
Egyptian television aired footage of trucks waiting for days to enter the Rafah crossing from the Egyptian side.
The World Health Organization stated that four trucks belonging to the organization carrying medical supplies have begun moving towards the Rafah crossing on their way to Gaza, confirming that it is working with Egyptians and Palestinians and the Red Crescent associations to ensure the safe passage of these vital supplies.
On the other hand, the US Embassy in Israel said on Saturday that it had received information about the opening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt today for the passage of foreigners.
In a message to Americans in Gaza, it said, “We have received information that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt will be opened on Saturday, October 21, at 10:00 AM local time”.
In its message published on its website, it added, “If the borders are opened, we do not know how long they will remain open to foreign citizens leaving Gaza“.
It continued, “We expect that many people will try to cross if the borders are opened, and American citizens attempting to enter Egypt should expect a chaotic and unorganized environment on both sides of the crossing.”
For American citizens in Gaza, it announced, “We will send you updated information about assistance in Egypt via email”.
It said, “The situation is still dynamic and volatile, and the security environment cannot be predicted. You must assess your safety and personal security before choosing to move towards the borders or attempt to cross”.
Several Palestinians were killed on Friday night/Saturday in Israeli airstrikes on various areas in the Gaza Strip.
Local sources told the Palestinian news agency Wafa, “The airstrikes targeted several areas in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, resulting in the killing of at least 7 citizens and the injury of others, while at least 14 citizens were killed in airstrikes targeting the town of Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip.”
The sources explained, “Two martyrs were killed in an airstrike targeting a three-story house in the Al-Salam neighborhood of Rafah, in addition to 7 missing persons in this strike.”
In the northern Gaza town of Jabaliya, 14 Palestinians were killed as a result of an airstrike on a house in the town.
Salamah Ma’arouf announced on Friday evening the demolition of 5,500 residential buildings in Gaza, which included 14,200 housing units, due to the Israeli airstrikes that have been ongoing in the sector since October 7.
Salamah said during a press conference, “The Israeli aggression led to the complete demolition of 5,500 residential buildings, which included 14,200 housing units, while about 133,370 housing units were partially damaged, including 10,127 housing units that are not suitable for living. In addition to 62 government buildings and dozens of public and service facilities,” according to the “al-Quds Press” newspaper.
The Gaza Government Media Office statement indicated that Israel “continues to target educational institutions, as 160 schools have suffered various damages, including 19 schools that are no longer in service”.
It also noted that “one of the most prominent scenes of the aggression in the past twenty-four hours is the destruction of the towers of the city of Zahra and the bombing of the Greek Orthodox Church”.
