Egypt resumes aid efforts for Gaza

Egypt resumes aid efforts for Gaza
Egypt resumes aid efforts for Gaza

Various Egyptian institutions and charity organisations started relaunching donation campaigns for Gaza after a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas took effect.

Tahya Misr - a fund originally established in 2014 to assist state institutions in Egypt - organised an event in Cairo last month where tens of trucks were parked.

"From the people of Egypt to our people in Gaza," a banner on one of the trucks read.

Hisham Khalifa, head of projects at Tahya Misr Fund, said they were able to collect 4,200 tonnes of aid loaded in 305 trucks bound for the Palestinian enclave.

Goods included "dry and canned food supplies, covers, textiles, baby products, medical supplies, personal care supplies and everything that we - thank God - managed to gather, thanks to the donations of honest people from companies, banks and businessmen," Khalifa added.

According to the head of media relations at the foundation, 25 aid trucks from Mersal went into Gaza after the reopening of Rafah crossing the border.

The truce deal between Israel and Hamas requires at least 600 truckloads of aid to enter Gaza each day of the initial six-week ceasefire, including 50 carrying fuel. Half of those trucks are supposed to go to Gaza's north, where experts have warned famine is imminent.

Meanwhile, with very few participants, Palestinian families in Jenin were able to bury seven of those killed by Israeli forces during the multi-day raid on the camp, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The families have not been able to bury their loved ones in the Jenin cemetery due to the continuous raid and restrictions on movement in the camp and around it.

Israeli forces, backed by helicopters and armoured bulldozers, began the assault on the city on Jan. 21, two days after a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and the militant group Hamas took effect.

Israeli forces have engaged in gun battles with local militants since the operation began.