361 relief planes arrived in Egypt for Palestinians in Gaza: Egyptian Red Crescent

By Ibrahim al-Khazen

CAIRO, Egypt (AA) - The Egyptian Red Crescent Society on Monday said 361 relief planes have so far arrived in Egypt's Al-Arish city for Palestinians in Gaza.

In a statement cited by the Egyptian state news agency, the head of the Egyptian Red Crescent Society branch in North Sinai, Khaled Zayed, said the cargo planes carried some 11,000 tons of different aid supplies to the Palestinian people.

He added that another plane from the United Arab Emirates on Monday arrived at the Al-Arish airport holding 10 tons of medicines and food supplies for Gaza.

Meanwhile, the Saudi state-run news agency SPA reported that on Monday, the 34th relief cargo plane from Saudi Arabia departed for Al-Arish airport, carrying 24 tons of food, shelter and medical supplies.

Most of the aid supplies remain on the Egyptian side waiting for permission to enter Gaza, as Israel only allows a few dozen aid trucks into Gaza through the Rafah border crossing.

Israel launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 21,978 Palestinians have since been killed and 57,697 others injured, according to Gaza’s health authorities, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave's infrastructure damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million residents displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar