CNN’s Becky Anderson reports from the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza, lauding the 35,000 Egyptian Red Crescent volunteers who she says are unsung heroes of the conflict, working tirelessly to get aid into the besieged enclave.

Rafah

Israel and Iran have agreed a ceasefire after a twelve day conflict. Meanwhile, Israel strikes in Gaza continue with the humanitarian crisis deepening.

Middle East Conflict

Humanitarian workers and truck drivers at the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian side are striving to deliver essential food and medical supplies to Gaza amid ongoing conflict. Despite being only a short distance from those in need, many trucks face prolonged delays and repeated vetting by Israeli authorities, with some drivers waiting days or even weeks for permission to proceed.

Egyptian Red Crescent volunteers, numbering around 35,000, have played a critical role in preparing aid for delivery, working closely with humanitarian organizations. The drivers remain resolute in their mission, expressing a strong commitment to ensuring aid reaches Gaza, even as the situation remains uncertain and the humanitarian crisis deepens.

Truck drivers at Rafah keep trying to deliver aid to Gaza

Well before we close this show, I just want to mark an occasion. It's World Humanitarian Day today, all the more pertinent given the suffering and hunger of the people of Gaza as the conflict there grinds on with reports of dozens of people a day dying and images of starving kids reminding us of the catastrophe that is unfolding. At the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, one of Gaza's main lifelines for aid, I saw trucks loaded with food and medical equipment just a matter of miles away from the people who need it most. Well today, I want to tip my hat to the unsung heroes there at the border, to the around 35,000 Egyptian Red Crescent volunteers who over the past two years of this conflict have helped work on the complex logistics, many of them youngsters who we met yesterday prepping boxes of food and essential medical supplies provided by humanitarian organisations and by countries onto trucks waiting to be green-lit by the Israelis for delivery. And the truck drivers, many of whom have been waiting days, they tell us, even weeks for permission to proceed into Gaza, often they say being turned back by the Israelis three or four times in a vetting process that frankly they say makes no sense to them. Their determination though unswayed. Everyone here has dedicated their life to this. We will go in for our brothers and sisters inside. We will deliver the aid regardless of what happens. We will deliver in a polite way or by force, but we will deliver. Well a strong message on World Humanitarian Day from those working tirelessly to try and make a difference as we wait to find out what Israel's response will be to the latest efforts by mediators to try and end this conflict in Gaza.

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Jerusalem

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Ukraine Invasion

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Texas

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Brussels

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North Carolina

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Hong Kong Island

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East Coast of the United States

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Truck drivers at Rafah keep trying to deliver aid to Gaza

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