Israel-Hamas war: Truck carrying coffins among aid convoy to Gaza

A truck carrying coffins was reported to be among the 20-truck humanitarian convoy carrying medicine and food supplies, which entered the Gaza Strip on Saturday from the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

According to BCC, its reporter on the ground in Gaza said one of the trucks was loaded with coffins while others were carrying medicines.

Palestinian officials said about 4,137 people have died in Gaza since Hamas infiltrated and attacked Israel two weeks ago, which led to a war between two warring neighbours.

In a statement, Cindy McCain, executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), said the 20 trucks were “an important first step, but this convoy has to be the first of many.”

“This food is desperately needed as the conditions inside Gaza are truly catastrophic,” she said.

WFP has another 930 metric tonnes of emergency food items at or near the Rafah border, ready to go whenever access is allowed again.

On its part, the World Health Organisation (WHO), in a statement, said the supplies delivered include trauma medicines, chronic diseases medicines. It added that these supplies will barely begin to address the escalating health needs as hostilities continue to grow.

“Inside Gaza, hospitals have already reached breaking point due to shortages and the depletion of medicines and medical supplies,” the statement reads.

“These supplies are a lifeline for severely injured people or those battling chronic illnesses, who have endured a harrowing two weeks of limited access to care and severe shortages of medicines and medical supplies.

“WHO calls for the protection of humanitarian aid teams in Gaza as they work to ensure the safe delivery of these supplies to where they are most needed.”