The sources told Anadolu that a number of aid trucks moved through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom border crossing into southern Gaza.
The entry of the aid trucks came after the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement took effect on Friday under US President Donald Trump’s plan to end a two-year Israeli war on the enclave.
The arrival of the convoys marked a tentative step toward alleviating the humanitarian catastrophe that has gripped the densely populated territory since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. Israel's subsequent military response has resulted in over 67,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza's health ministry, with widespread destruction of infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and homes, leaving more than 90% of Gaza's 2.4 million residents displaced and facing acute food insecurity. The blockade imposed by Israel since early 2025 had severely restricted aid flows, exacerbating famine-like conditions in northern Gaza, where the United Nations warned of imminent starvation just weeks before the truce.
Eyewitnesses in Khan Younis, a southern city that has become a hub for displaced families, described scenes of desperate crowds gathering around the first trucks as they unloaded crates of wheat flour, ready-to-eat meals, medical supplies, and hygiene kits. "People were rushing forward, mothers holding children, everyone grabbing what they could—it was chaos, but it was hope," said Aisha al-Masri, a 34-year-old mother of four who fled Gaza City months ago. Videos circulating on social media showed Palestinians climbing onto vehicles, with some convoys escorted by armed men wielding clubs to deter looting, a persistent issue amid the lawlessness that has plagued aid distribution during the war. The World Food Programme (WFP), which coordinated much of the initial delivery, reported that its trucks crossed via Kerem Shalom and the nearby Zikim crossing, carrying enough supplies to feed over 1 million people in the coming days.
Under the ceasefire's humanitarian provisions, aid flows are slated to scale up dramatically to 400-600 trucks per day—far exceeding the pre-truce average of fewer than 100—facilitating repairs to water systems, electricity grids, and roads like the Salah al-Din highway and Rashid coastal route. Egyptian authorities, who have played a key mediating role, confirmed that over 200 trucks from their side had arrived at the Rafah crossing by midday Sunday, pending Israeli inspections before transfer to Gaza. Türkiye, too, ramped up its contributions, with the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) dispatching 17 additional trucks loaded with food, blankets, and tents on October 13, bringing its total aid since the war's onset to over 101,000 tons via 16 ships and 14 planes. "This is not charity; it's a lifeline," said AFAD spokesperson Fatma Nur Basaran, emphasizing the need for sustained access to prevent relapse into crisis.
The ceasefire itself emerged from intense diplomacy spearheaded by Trump, who unveiled his 20-point peace plan on September 29, 2025, during a White House press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The blueprint, hailed by leaders from Australia to Azerbaijan as a "bold vision," calls for an immediate halt to hostilities, phased Israeli withdrawals, hostage releases, and Hamas's eventual disarmament in exchange for Palestinian prisoner swaps and reconstruction funding. Phase one, approved by Israel's cabinet on October 9 and activated two days later, mandates a 24-hour Israeli pullback from urban areas—leaving forces in control of about 53% of Gaza, including buffer zones—followed by Hamas releasing all 20 remaining living hostages and the remains of 28 deceased ones within 72 hours.
By Sunday evening, preparations for the exchanges were underway. Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya announced that hostages were being moved to secure medical sites for handover, while Israeli media reported that 250 Palestinians serving life sentences—excluding high-profile figures like Marwan Barghouti—and 1,700 Gaza detainees arrested since October 2023 would be freed in phases, with 100 transferred to the West Bank and others to Gaza or abroad. Netanyahu's office confirmed the framework's approval, stating it ensured "the release of all captives, living and deceased," though tensions lingered over the exact prisoner list. Trump, posting on Truth Social, declared the deal a "blessed" milestone, vowing to chair a new "Board of Peace" overseeing Gaza's transitional technocratic governance, alongside figures like former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The plan's broader contours envision demilitarizing Gaza, dismantling Hamas's military infrastructure, and establishing a Palestinian-led committee for daily administration under international supervision—no role for Hamas in governance, amnesty for decommissioning fighters, and safe passage for those opting to leave. Reconstruction would follow a "Trump economic development plan," funded by Arab states and global partners, focusing on infrastructure rehab and job creation to "energize" the enclave. Indirect talks in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, Türkiye, and the US, bridged gaps after Hamas initially balked at disarmament demands. Al-Hayya cited "guarantees" from mediators that the war had "completely ended," including Rafah's bidirectional reopening.
Yet, as trucks rumbled into Khan Younis, the fragile truce faced immediate tests. Reports emerged of Israeli forces delaying some convoys at Kerem Shalom for "security checks," echoing pre-ceasefire bottlenecks that spoiled aid worth millions. In northern Gaza, displaced families began trekking homeward along debris-strewn roads, only to confront rubble-choked ruins; the UN estimates 170,000 metric tons of aid remain queued, with distribution hampered by ongoing insecurity. Hamas accused Israel of "manipulating" terms, while far-right Israeli ministers like Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened coalition collapse if Hamas's rule isn't fully dismantled.
The war's toll defies easy summary. Gaza's health system, once serving 2 million, now operates at 20% capacity, with over 100,000 injuries straining makeshift clinics. Children, comprising half the population, bear the brunt: malnutrition rates have soared, with Oxfam reporting that families survive on one meal a day, their purchasing power eroded by hyperinflation on basics like flour, now 10 times pre-war prices. Psychological scars run deep; UNICEF documented a generation traumatized by nightly bombardments and family losses. Economically, Gaza's GDP has contracted by 80%, unemployment hovers at 90%, and agricultural lands—once feeding the Strip—are scorched wastelands.
Regionally, the conflict rippled outward, drawing in Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthis in Yemen, while Iran's proxies tested Israel's defenses. Trump's intervention, building on his first-term Abraham Accords, reframed the crisis as a US-led pivot toward Arab-Israeli normalization, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE pledging reconstruction billions if phases two and three—full withdrawal and statehood talks—advance. Critics, including Palestinian activists, decry the plan as "colonial oversight," with its Trump-chaired board sidelining self-determination; Al Jazeera op-eds called for a "decolonized" alternative emphasizing sovereignty by 2026.
As dusk fell over Gaza City on Sunday, the first aid distributions unfolded under floodlights. In a school-turned-shelter, WFP teams handed out parcels to queues stretching blocks long. "We've waited so long for this," whispered elderly resident Mahmoud Abu Saleh, clutching a flour sack. Nearby, children played amid tents, their laughter a fragile counterpoint to the ghosts of 2023-2025.
Trump's Middle East tour, set to begin Monday with addresses to Israel's Knesset and an Egypt summit alongside President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, underscores the stakes. Knesset chair Ofir Katz hailed him as Israel's "best friend," planning a hero's welcome amid hostage family meetings. Yet, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem urged "ironclad guarantees" against violations, warning that without them, the truce could unravel like prior efforts in 2024 and early 2025.
International observers, from the UN to the EU, stressed monitoring: "Aid must flow freely, and Phase One implementation is non-negotiable," said UN envoy Tor Wennesland. With 48 hours until full hostage handover, the world watches a corridor once synonymous with suffering inch toward salvation—or setback.
In Istanbul, where Turkish mediators hosted Hamas exiles during talks, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called the aid influx "a moral imperative." "Peace isn't just papers; it's trucks, tents, and trust rebuilt brick by brick," he said at a press briefing. As the first phase unfolds, Gaza's weary residents cling to the rumble of those trucks—a sound drowned out for too long by artillery, now echoing with possibility.
The road ahead remains fraught. Phase two, slated for November, demands Hamas's disarmament and technocratic handover, while thorny issues like West Bank settlements and Jerusalem status loom in later stages. Analysts note unresolved governance gaps could reignite fighting, especially if Iran's "Axis of Resistance" perceives weakness. Still, for now, in the shadow of minarets and checkpoints, the aid trucks symbolize a pause in perdition.
