A CNN staffer at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza witnessed five UN fuel trucks entering Gaza on Monday afternoon.
This would be the first entry of fuel trucks since before the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. The UN would need to coordinate the movement of those fuel trucks with Israel.
The UN fuel storage is located at the Kerem Shalom border crossing that connects Gaza and Israel, which is adjacent to the Rafah crossing that connects Gaza and Egypt.
This entry of fuel trucks comes after a widespread appeal to allow in much-needed aid into the besieged territory of Gaza.
Some more context: Egypt is facing mounting pressure to act as neighboring Gaza gets pummeled by Israeli strikes after last weekend’s brutal assault in Israel by Hamas.
In the wake of the Hamas attacks, Israel closed its two border crossings with Gaza (Kerem Shalom and Erez) and imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, blocking supplies of fuel, electricity and water.
It has left the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt as the only viable outlet to get people out of the enclave — and supplies into it.
But the crossing has been closed for much of the past week. Neither Gazans nor foreign nationals have been able to cross.
Aid is stuck at the crossing as vital humanitarian supplies for people in Gaza are piling up on the Egyptian side of the border.
CNN’s Nadeen Ebrahim contributed to this report.
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