CAIRO

Egypt announced Wednesday that it will increase the volume of fuel sent daily to the Gaza Strip from 129,000 liters to 189,000 liters in accordance with an agreement with Israel. 

Egypt is continuing intensive efforts to ensure the entry of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, Diaa Rashwan, the head of Egypt’s State Information Service, said in a statement.

Since Tuesday, relief aid trucks began crossing the Rafah border terminal to the Karem Abu Salem crossing in implementation of an agreement with the Israeli side, he added.

This is expected to facilitate the arrival of trucks to the Gaza Strip, increasing their number to 60 to 80 daily, he said.

Rashwan noted that the total number of trucks that have crossed from the Rafah border crossing to the Gaza Strip is 4,057 since the beginning of aid entry into the enclave from the Egyptian side of the crossing.

Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip from the air and land, imposed a siege and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 18,608 Palestinians have been killed and 50,594 others injured in the Israeli onslaught since then, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio