Egypt sustains Gaza aid logistics with 95th convoy amid winter pressure

Egypt has dispatched its 95th Zad Al-Izza aid convoy to Gaza, extending a large-scale humanitarian logistics operation as winter weather increases pressure on cross-border supply chains and last-mile distribution.

The Egyptian Red Crescent said the convoy moved early on December 16, carrying blankets, winter clothing, mattresses and tents, indicating a logistics shift toward cold-weather cargo as shelter and heating needs rise inside Gaza.

Alongside relief items, the convoy transported more than 8,000 tonnes of emergency supplies, including food parcels, flour, medical items and petroleum products, requiring coordinated handling of mixed cargo streams across land corridors.

Since October 2023, Egypt has served as the main logistics gateway for aid into Gaza, coordinating with the United Nations and international partners to sustain deliveries despite access constraints and operational limits at border crossings.

Authorities said about 70 per cent of all assistance entering Gaza has been routed through Egypt, with aid flows maintained for more than 760 consecutive days via the Rafah and Karm Abu Salem crossings, creating one of the longest-running humanitarian supply operations in the region.

Cumulative deliveries have exceeded 665,000 tonnes, coordinated by the Egyptian Red Crescent and supported by more than 35,000 volunteers, reflecting the scale of warehousing, loading, customs coordination and convoy management required to sustain daily movements.

Egypt has also functioned as an international logistics hub for Gaza relief, handling 943 aid flights and 617 maritime shipments, integrating air and sea arrivals with onwards land transport into a single operational framework.

Inside Gaza, Egypt has facilitated the entry of ambulances, supplied fuel, deployed field hospitals and expanded ground distribution through the Zad Al-Izza initiative, which alone has delivered over 130,000 tonnes of aid since late July, placing further strain on internal transport and storage capacity.

Winter storms, flooding and structural damage are now affecting last-mile logistics, with limited access to rubble and damaged roads slowing recovery operations and complicating the distribution of shelter and fuel supplies.

Palestinian sources said damaged tents and inadequate shelter are increasing dependence on continuous aid flows, calling for unhindered humanitarian access to stabilise logistics networks and support future reconstruction.