RAMALLAH, Palestine

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said Wednesday that 55 more aid trucks had entered the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

"Red Crescent teams have received today 55 trucks of humanitarian aid from the Egyptian Red Crescent Society via the Rafah crossing," it said in a statement.

It said the trucks contained food items, water and medical supplies but Israel is still refusing to allow the entry of vital fuel supplies into Gaza

It noted that the number of aid trucks that have entered Gaza since Oct. 7 had reached 272.

Under Israel’s 16-year blockade of Gaza, around 500 trucks carrying goods used to enter Gaza on a daily basis, including 45 trucks carrying fuel. But all that stopped since the outbreak of the fighting in Gaza on Oct. 7 leaving the Palestinian enclave facing a severe shortage of basic commodities including fuel, which is urgently needed to power hospitals and ensure that water can be treated and made safe to drink.

The Israeli army has widened its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since the surprise offensive by Hamas on Oct. 7.

More than 10,300 people have since been killed in the conflict, including at least 8,796 Palestinians and more than 1,538 Israelis, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar