Egypt sends 108th Zad Al-Izzah aid convoy to Gaza as Israel continues blocking Rafah crossing

CAIRO – 4 January 2026: Aid trucks carrying humanitarian and relief supplies as part of “Zad Al-Izzah … from Egypt to Gaza” convoy are preparing to cross into Gaza en route to the Karm Abu Salem crossing with Israel on Sunday.

Sunday’s shipment marks the 108th Zad Al-Izzah convoy, carrying thousands of tons of food and humanitarian aid, along with medical supplies, medicines, fuel products, and shelter materials.

Launched by the Egyptian Red Crescent on July 27, Zad Al-Izzah has delivered large quantities of assistance, including food supply chains, flour, infant formula, medical supplies, medicines, personal care items, and significant amounts of fuel.

The Egyptian Red Crescent continues to operate as the national mechanism coordinating and dispatching aid to Gaza along the border since the start of the crisis.

Over the past months, Egypt has been sending humanitarian aid through its side of the Rafah crossing, after which trucks are routed to the Karm Abu Salem crossing in southern Gaza for inspection by Israeli authorities before entering the enclave.

This route has become the main pathway for aid into Gaza since Israeli forces took control of the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing in May 2024, blocking aid through this vital crossing point.

Egyptian authorities have repeatedly stressed that the Rafah land port has not closed from the Egyptian side since the start of the war, blaming Israel for obstructing aid deliveries.

The Rafah crossing was set to reopen under the terms of Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which established a ceasefire in October and included a prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Israel as part of its first phase.

Under the Zad Al-Izzah convoy, Egypt has facilitated the entry of more than 36,000 aid trucks carrying nearly half a million tons of humanitarian and relief supplies into Gaza, supported by the efforts of around 35,000 volunteers.