Aid trucks enter Gaza as ceasefire deal brings hope
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Hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks have begun entering the Gaza Strip from Egypt in accordance with the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal that many are hoping will signal an end to the devastating two-year war.
Long lines of trucks carrying aid were stationed in Rafah area were starting to enter the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom and al-Awja crossings, controlled by Israel, the Egyptian Al-Qahera News reported.
The Israeli defence body in charge of humanitarian aid in Gaza, COGAT, said the amount of aid entering Gaza Strip is expected to ramp up on Sunday to around 600 trucks per day.
Egypt said it is sending 400 trucks carrying aid into Gaza on Sunday. The trucks will have to be inspected by Israeli forces before being allowed in.
Associated Press footage showed dozens of trucks crossing the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing. The Egyptian Red Crescent said the trucks include medical supplies, tents, blankets, food and fuel.
The trucks will head to the inspection area in the Kerem Shalom crossing for screening by Israeli troops. In recent months, the UN and its partners have been able to deliver only 20 per cent of the aid needed in Gaza because of the fighting, border closures and Israeli restrictions on what enters.
The fate of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli- and US-backed contractor that replaced the UN aid operation in Gaza in May as the primary food supplier in Gaza, remains unclear.
Food distribution sites operated by the group in the southernmost city of Rafah and central Gaza were dismantled following the ceasefire deal, several Palestinians said.
Preparations were also underway on Sunday for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
A message sent from Gal Hirsch, Israel’s co-ordinator for the Hostages and the Missing and obtained by The Associated Press, told hostage families to prepare for the release of their loved ones starting on Monday morning.
Hirsch said preparations in hospitals and in Rei’im camp were complete to receive the live hostages, while the dead will be transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification.
An international task force will start working to locate deceased hostages who are not returned within the 72-hour period, said Hirsch.
Officials have said the search for the bodies of the dead, some of whom may be buried under rubble, could take time.
Israeli officials believe about 20 of the hostages out of 48 held by Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Gaza are still alive. All of the living hostages are expected to be released on Monday.
US President Donald Trump, who pushed to clinch the ceasefire deal, is expected to arrive in Israel on Monday morning.
He will meet with families of hostages and speak at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, according to a schedule released by the White House.
Trump will then continue on to Egypt, where the office of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has said he will co-chair a “peace summit” on Monday with attendance by regional and international leaders.
Timing has not yet been announced for the release of some 2000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel who are to be freed under the deal. They include 250 people serving life sentences in addition to 1700 people seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge.
A copy of the signed ceasefire says Hamas must share all information related to any bodies of hostages that are not released within the first 72 hours, and that Israel will provide information about the remains of deceased Palestinians from the Gaza Strip held in Israel.
Trump along with dozens of other world leaders – including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer – will travel to Egypt for talks on implementing a peace plan to end the war.
The summit, to take place in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, will be co-chaired by Trump and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi.
with Reuters, EFE and DPA
AP
