12th Zad el-Ezza convoy enters Gaza via Rafah as Egypt continues humanitarian efforts

CAIRO - 8 January 2026: The 112th convoy of humanitarian aid trucks began entering the Gaza Strip on Thursday morning, heading toward Palestinians in the Strip through the Rafah land port in Egypt’s North Sinai governorate, en route to the Kerem Abu Salem crossing in preparation for delivery into Gaza.

A responsible source at the Rafah land port said the trucks, part of the “Zad Al-Ezza from Egypt to Gaza” convoy, are carrying thousands of tons of food and humanitarian assistance, as well as medical supplies, medicines, petroleum products and shelter materials.

The Egyptian Red Crescent has been present as the national mechanism coordinating and escorting aid into Gaza since the outbreak of the crisis in October 2023. The Rafah land port has not been completely closed during this period, and the organization continues to maintain readiness across its logistical centers, supported by the efforts of around 35,000 volunteers working to facilitate the entry of aid.

Israeli occupation forces closed the crossings connecting Gaza on March 2, 2025, following the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement and the failure to reach a deal to solidify the truce. The ceasefire was subsequently breached by heavy airstrikes on March 18, 2025, accompanied by renewed ground incursions into various areas of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli authorities have also blocked the entry of humanitarian aid trucks, fuel and shelter supplies for displaced residents who lost their homes during the war on Gaza, while refusing to allow heavy equipment needed for rubble removal and reconstruction to enter the enclave.

In May 2025, only limited quantities of aid were permitted into Gaza, falling short of the minimum needs of the population, according to a mechanism implemented by Israeli authorities in cooperation with a US security company. This mechanism was rejected by United Nations organizations, other humanitarian agencies and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which said it violates established international humanitarian procedures.