CAIRO/GAZA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) on Thursday dispatched a new shipment of winter relief supplies to the rain-flooded Gaza Strip, including 14,300 blankets, 21,400 winter garments, and 15,800 tents to shelter affected families, the organization said in a statement.
The winter aid is part of a larger humanitarian aid convoy carrying about 9,800 tonnes of urgent materials, including around 5,500 tonnes of food baskets, more than 3,600 tonnes of medical and relief items, and over 700 tonnes of petroleum products needed in the enclave.
It is the 92nd convoy dispatched from Egypt to Gaza since the ERC launched its pro-Gaza humanitarian aid initiative in late July. The organization said it has delivered over half a million tonnes of humanitarian and relief materials to Gaza since the beginning of the Gaza war in October 2023, with the help of some 35,000 volunteers.
Heavy rains have recently swept Gaza and ruined many of its fragile shelter tents, adding to the suffering of its residents.
"Flooded streets and soaked tents are making already dire living conditions even more dangerous. Cold, overcrowded, and unsanitary environments heighten the risk of illness and infection," the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said on its X account on Thursday.
An eight-month-old girl, Rafah Abu Jazar, died Thursday from the cold in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Nasser Medical Hospital said in a statement.
Munir al-Bursh, director general of Gaza's health authorities, said residents are enduring harsh conditions with inadequate shelter and heating due to fuel shortages. ■