Rafah: The 196th humanitarian aid convoy, 'Zad Al Ezza, From Egypt to Gaza,' began entering the Gaza Strip on Thursday, May 14, 2026, through the auxiliary gate of Rafah land port toward the Karm Abu Salem crossing in preparation for delivery to Palestinians in the enclave.
According to State Information Service Egypt, an official source stated that the convoy carries large quantities of humanitarian and relief assistance, including food supplies, flour, fresh bread, legumes, canned food, medicines, personal care items, tents, clothing, winter supplies, and fuel materials. The trucks are subject to inspection by Israeli authorities before entering the Gaza Strip.
Israeli authorities had closed crossings linking the Gaza Strip on March 2, 2025, following the end of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Israel later resumed military operations and ground incursions in several areas of the enclave. The source added that Israeli authorities had also prevented the entry of humanitarian aid, fuel, and shelter supplies for displaced Palestinians, as well as heavy equipment needed for debris removal and reconstruction efforts.
Aid deliveries resumed in May 2025 under a mechanism implemented by Israeli authorities and a US security company, despite objections from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which said that it did not align with established international protocols. The report also noted that mediators including Egypt, Qatar, and the United States continued efforts to secure a comprehensive ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, leading to a deal reached in October 2025 between Hamas and Israel through Egyptian, Qatari, and US mediation, with Turkish support.
The second phase of the agreement entered into force on February 2, 2026, after completion of prisoner exchanges and the transfer of the remains of the last Israeli detainee under the first phase, allowing Palestinians to enter Gaza and wounded civilians to travel to Egyptian hospitals for treatment after reopening the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing.