Long wait ends: Egyptian truckers deliver aid to Gaza

A convoy of trucks lined Egypt’s Rafah border crossing with Gaza on Sunday, carrying life-saving aid into the war-torn enclave.

The drivers, away from their families for months, cheered as the truce in the Israel-Hamas war allowed them to cross.

They delivered vital supplies to hunger-stricken Gaza, transporting food, medical aid, and fuel through Nitzana and Kerem Shalom crossings.

Truckers returning from their mission waved peace signs and honked their horns in a triumphant symphony of relief.

“For months, we’ve been living in our trucks, waiting for this moment,” said Essam Desouky, a driver from Al-Mahalla Al-Kubra.

Mohamed Aboul Maati, a driver from Ismailia, expressed pride in being part of the effort, saying, “It’s a privilege to help.”

Some drivers endured three months at the border, as hundreds of aid trucks awaited clearance into Gaza.

For months, the truckers braved the shocks of relentless shelling, their trucks shaking from explosions just across the border.

On Saturday, a day before the truce, Desouky awoke terrified as his truck windows rattled violently from nearby strikes.

As silence replaced the familiar sounds of conflict on Sunday, the quiet felt almost surreal. A humanitarian worker stationed at the border remarked, “This is the first time it’s been this peaceful.”

Driver Saad Ismail Rakha, with family in Gaza, spoke of the helplessness he feels. “Every hunger pang reminds me of their suffering; it’s unbearable,” he said.

For Nasr Ayman Nasr, 22, delivering aid to Gaza is a mission fraught with heartbreak. He recounted children pleading and a woman throwing herself before his truck, desperate for help.

The journey continues, with drivers vowing to return after brief visits home, ready to deliver hope to Gaza once more.

Scroll to Top