The Iraqi Red Crescent Society sends further 500 tons of aid for Gaza

NEWSROOM — The Iraqi Red Crescent Society announced on Tuesday the departure of a land relief convoy to Gaza via the Trebil border crossing to the Jordanian port of Aqaba. The convoy is carrying over 500 tons of food and medical supplies.

The humanitarian aid is backed by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.

The Iraqi Red Crescent Society, founded in 1932 and headquartered in Baghdad, provides medical and humanitarian aid and trains volunteers in first aid techniques.

“These trucks will travel by land to the Trebil border crossing, then to the port of Aqaba, from where the supplies will be transported to Egypt’s Nuweiba port and subsequently to Rafah,” the society said in a statement.

The Rafah border crossing, managed by Egypt, is Gaza’s only access point not controlled by Israel and is essential for delivering humanitarian aid. It is currently the sole route for Iraq’s aid to Gaza.

The food crisis in Gaza has worsened due to an intensified Israeli blockade following a surprise Hamas incursion into Israel last October that resulted in hundreds of Israeli deaths. Despite Israel’s assertion that it continues to permit the entry of food and humanitarian supplies, distribution within Gaza faces challenges.

A U.S.-built temporary pier on the coast of Gaza was knocked out of action by heavy storms last week. Pentagon sources tell U.S. media that repairs are “ongoing” to the pier meant to ease aid deliveries to the strip.

Since the outbreak of the Hamas-Israel conflict last year, Iraq has sent several aid shipments containing food and medical supplies to Gaza.