CAIRO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's State Information Service (SIS) said that 323 aid trucks were delivered to the war-torn Gaza Strip on Monday, the second day of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.
In a statement, the SIS said that 310 humanitarian aid trucks and 13 trucks carrying fuel on Monday crossed the Rafah border crossing and entered Gaza through the Israeli-controlled Al-Auja and Karm Abu Salem border crossings.
Data released by the SIS also revealed that 330 trucks, including 20 carrying diesel and cooking gas, were headed to the Israeli-controlled crossings for inspection before being delivered to the Gaza Strip on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Amjad Shawwa, Gaza-based director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network, said hundreds of those aid trucks entering Gaza now had been stranded at the Egyptian border for months due to Israeli restrictions.
Shawwa told Xinhua that the distribution of aid is being coordinated with UN agencies to ensure that it reaches those most in need, especially amid the severe humanitarian crisis facing the Gaza Strip.
"A significant amount of aid has deteriorated due to the prolonged delay, putting additional strain on humanitarian organizations to provide essential services to Gaza's population, particularly children suffering from malnutrition," Shawwa said.
The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, with its first stage spanning 42 days, was reached on Wednesday through the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States. It began taking effect on Sunday. Enditem
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