First trucks carrying humanitarian aid enter Gaza Strip, but no foreign citizens were permitted to leave

The first twenty trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered the Gaza Strip on 21 October through the Rafah checkpoint on the border with Egypt.

Source: The Times of Israel

Details: The Rafah checkpoint was reportedly closed again after the trucks from the Egyptian Red Crescent, which is responsible for delivering aid from various UN agencies, had passed through it.

More than 200 trucks were waiting on the Egyptian side.

As the aid trucks entered through Rafah, Palestinian Americans and other dual nationals rushed to the checkpoint from the Gaza Strip, but they were not let through.

Embassies had told their citizens in Gaza to be ready to cross the border, but crowds of frustrated Palestinians with American, Canadian, German and British passports waited in vain for hours, at least for the fifth time this week, the Times of Israel said.

UN aid agencies said the first convoy of 20 aid trucks that arrived in Gaza on Saturday was "only a small beginning".

A joint statement by agencies including the World Health Organisation, the World Food Program and others said that more than 1.6 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance.

Meanwhile, Doctors Without Borders says Gaza's health care system is "facing collapse".

At the same time, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) released thermal imaging footage on 21 October showing failed rocket launches from Gaza landing on the territory of the Strip.

IDF thermal footage shows failed rocket launches from Gaza, landing short in the Strip. According to the IDF, more than 550 rockets have fallen short since Oct. 7. pic.twitter.com/snjY8Y1rTx

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) October 21, 2023

The IDF says more than 550 missiles fired at Israel since 7 October have fallen short, killing Palestinians.

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