Egypt sends 155 aid trucks to Gaza as famine death toll rises to 317

CAIRO - 28 August 2025: Egypt on Thursday dispatched a new humanitarian aid convoy to the Gaza Strip as part of the “Zad Al-Ezz… From Egypt to Gaza” initiative, delivering tons of urgent supplies, including medical equipment, children’s essentials, medicines, dry foods, canned goods, water, and clothing.

According to Cairo News, 155 aid trucks entered southern Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing. The convoy, the 25th since the initiative was launched, carried more than 2,400 tons of essential relief, including over 2,200 tons of food baskets and flour, along with more than 200 tons of medical and emergency supplies. The campaign, organized by the Egyptian Red Crescent, was first launched on July 27 and has since delivered thousands of tons of aid ranging from food and medicine to baby formula, personal care products, and fuel.

Meanwhile, Israel’s assault on Gaza entered its 692nd day, marked by intensified ground, air, and naval operations. Heavy bombardments in recent hours left multiple casualties, including children and women, amid a rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis and accelerating famine.

The Gaza Ministry of Health reported four new deaths from starvation and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, including two children. This brought the total famine-related death toll to 317, among them 121 children. Since the formal famine declaration on August 22, 2025, the ministry has recorded 39 famine deaths, including six children.

Field reports confirmed that Israeli forces continued artillery shelling near Nuseirat, demolished residential buildings in Jabalia, and fired from naval vessels off the coasts of Gaza and Rafah. Ambulance services reported several civilians injured while waiting for aid north of Rafah.

The Israeli army announced that its units were operating on the outskirts of Gaza City to “dismantle terrorist infrastructure above and below ground” as part of its broader plan to empty and seize control of the enclave’s largest city, a move approved by the government in August. Military brigades including Golani, 401, 188, and 162 were reportedly deployed across the Strip.

The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed that since October 7, 2023, the war has claimed the lives of 62,966 Palestinians and left 159,266 injured. In the past 24 hours alone, hospitals recorded 71 new martyrs and 339 injuries. The ministry also reported that Israeli attacks targeting aid queues killed 22 civilians and wounded 203 others, raising the total death toll from “breadline massacres” to 2,180, with more than 16,046 injuries.

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) warned that relentless Israeli airstrikes and evacuation orders are once again forcing entire families to abandon their homes, fueling further displacement and despair.

On Wednesday, members of the UN Security Council, excluding the United States, issued a joint statement calling for an immediate, permanent, and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. They demanded a substantial increase in aid deliveries and urged Israel, as the occupying power, to lift all restrictions on humanitarian access without delay. Council members also rejected Israel’s decision to seize Gaza City, warning that such a move would exacerbate the humanitarian catastrophe and endanger civilian lives.

In a related statement, Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), stressed that Gaza can no longer withstand the crisis. Writing on X, she said famine has been officially declared and that conditions worsen daily, with civilians lacking safe shelter, clean water, food, and medicine. She emphasized that aid is available but requires guaranteed access, underscoring the urgent need to end the assault immediately.