The Egyptian Red Crescent launched its 281st aid convoy to the Gaza Strip early on Tuesday, carrying over 131,000 food baskets, tons of flour, and relief and medical supplies for the Palestinian people. This effort is part of the "Zad Al-Ezza: From Egypt to Gaza" initiative, which aims to provide essential support to those in need. The convoy also includes petroleum products necessary to run hospitals and other vital facilities in the strip.
Egypt's cumulative aid deliveries to Gaza have surpassed one million tons since October 2023, with over 75,000 ERC volunteers participating in the effort. The Egyptian Red Crescent has been working tirelessly to provide aid to the Palestinian people, and this latest convoy is a testament to its commitment. The aid includes food baskets, flour, relief materials, and medical supplies, all of which are essential for the well-being of the people in Gaza.
The shipment comes as a United Nations humanitarian appeal seeking $4.06 billion for Palestinians remains 60.3 percent unfunded, leaving a $2.45 billion shortfall days before a UN-hosted conference on protecting Palestinian children in New York. The Gaza-centred UN appeal, which seeks $4.06 billion for nearly three million people across Gaza and the West Bank, had received only $1.61 billion, or 39.7 percent, of its target as of September 15.
The funding shortfall comes as over 280,000 children attend UNRWA classes in tents and damaged buildings, with the agency reporting that it has lost 95 percent of the 182 fully equipped schools it operated in Gaza before the war. The situation in Gaza is dire, and the need for aid is urgent. The Egyptian Red Crescent's efforts are crucial in providing support to those affected by the conflict.
Egypt has served as Gaza's main aid corridor since the war began, processing shipments through facilities in North Sinai as part of a mediating role alongside Qatar, Turkey, and the US that produced the ceasefire agreement signed at the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit in October 2025. Egypt has also expanded international support for the effort, signing a deal with South Korea in June to bolster its logistical capacity for Gaza relief operations.
The Israeli war on Gaza has killed at least 73,821 Palestinians and injured 174,897 others, most of them women and children, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The ceasefire brokered nearly a year ago has not brought an end to the suffering, and the need for aid remains great. The Egyptian Red Crescent's efforts are essential in providing support to those affected by the conflict.
The World Food Programme has warned of severe funding shortages and donor fatigue, citing that it is halving food assistance in the West Bank and warning of further cuts in Gaza, where it supports 1.5 million people. The situation in Gaza is dire, and the need for aid is urgent. The Egyptian Red Crescent's efforts, along with those of other organizations, are crucial in providing support to those affected by the conflict.
Key points
- Egypt's 281st aid convoy delivers 131,000 food baskets and medical supplies to Gaza.
- Egypt's cumulative aid deliveries to Gaza have surpassed one million tons since October 2023.
- A UN humanitarian appeal seeking $4.06 billion for Palestinians remains 60.3 percent unfunded.
