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First two Iraqi airplanes loaded with aid to Gaza took off: Iraq

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
23 Oct 2023 00:44
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Brigadier General Rasoul says the first flight is "carrying 18 tonnes of humanitarian and relief aid provided by the Iraqi people."

Iraqis hold a mass rally supporting the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023., in Baghdad, Iraq. (AP Photo/Anmar Khalil)

The spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Rasoul, announced on Sunday the departure of the first two aircraft loaded with Iraqi humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Brigadier General Rasoul indicated that the first flight is "carrying 18 tonnes of humanitarian and relief aid provided by the Iraqi people."

Earlier on Sunday, 15 out of 17 aid trucks entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing in northern Sinai, after their entry had been delayed for unknown reasons. This second batch of aid comes as the Israeli occupation continues its bombing and shelling of Gaza, amid a complete siege, with the exception of a few trucks that have entered the Strip.

On Sunday night, a follow-up procession of 14 relief trucks crossed into the blockaded Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing from the Egyptian side, as reported by Juliette Touma, the Communication Director at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

On Saturday, 20 trucks of aid containing medicines, medical supplies, and food were delivered to Gaza, with the Egyptian Red Crescent handing them over to its Palestinian counterpart.

Wael Abu Mohsen, the media spokesperson at the Rafah land crossing, confirmed in an interview for Al Mayadeen Net that there are ongoing preparations for the complete reopening of the crossing, in preparation for the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Mohammad Shweidah, director of an UNRWA shelter in the Gaza Strip, pointed out on Saturday that aid to be delivered to the Gaza Strip would exclude the northern areas and the city of Gaza, as UNRWA has withdrawn to the south.

Adnan Abu Hasna, the spokesperson for UNRWA, told Al Mayadeen that Gaza needs 100 trucks daily to meet the needs of the displaced, emphasizing the necessity of opening the Rafah crossing to allow this number of trucks into the Strip.

Abu Hasna also stressed the urgency of delivering fuel to Gaza because it is essential for operating basic services, and there is a continuous need to supply medicines and water.

He pointed out that UNRWA's food supplies are running low, and a real catastrophe is deepening with the continued closure of the crossings.

On Saturday, Hamas official Osama Hamdan called for the permanent opening of the Rafah crossing and the continuous delivery of food to the Gaza Strip, emphasizing the urgent need to supply fuel to Gaza so that hospitals do not turn into mass graves.

This comes as Gaza continues to face a humanitarian crisis, with the Israeli aggression ongoing for the 16th consecutive day, amid power outages and a depletion of medical equipment. The Palestinian Ministry of Health has pointed out that surgeries for the wounded are being performed without anesthesia.