On board aid convoy on its way to offer hope for Gaza

A large aid convoy is currently making its way from Jordan to Gaza, bringing hope to those in need. Mustafa al Qadri, the driver of one of the trucks, can see a long line of vehicles behind him as they travel through the rocky landscape towards the Dead Sea. Their journey will take them to the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge border crossing, where they will go through Israeli customs. After that, they will proceed to the Erez crossing into Gaza, where local drivers from the World Food Programme will take over the delivery of the aid. Mustafa is aware of the challenges ahead, including blocked roads by Israeli settlers and the risk of criminal gangs hijacking aid trucks. However, on this sunny winter morning, he feels a sense of happiness. 'We are carrying aid like food and medication for our brothers in Gaza,' he says. The term 'brothers' reflects not only a shared humanity but also the deep connections many Jordanians have with Palestinian roots. 'Delivering this aid is a good deed. It makes me happy,' he adds. The drivers in the convoy are enthusiastic, waving to onlookers and honking their horns. The sound of their trucks fills the air, competing with the sirens of police escorting them. This mission involves 120 trucks, the largest since the conflict began in October 2023. The Jordanian aid operation serves as a reminder to the people of Gaza that they are not forgotten by their neighbors. King Abdullah II of Jordan has been actively advocating for the delivery of food, medicine, and fuel to Gaza. The international community has also pledged to increase aid once a ceasefire is established. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres emphasized the importance of a ceasefire, stating, 'It is imperative that this ceasefire removes the significant security and political obstacles to delivering aid across Gaza. ' He highlighted the catastrophic humanitarian situation, with 90 percent of Gaza's 2. 2 million residents displaced and up to two million relying on aid. This dire situation has developed over 15 months of conflict, during which the UN and aid agencies have accused Israel of repeatedly blocking or delaying the distribution of essential supplies. Israel, however, denies these allegations. At one point, the United States even threatened to cut military aid to Israel due to the low levels of aid reaching Gaza. In Deir al Balah, a central area in Gaza, a BBC journalist witnessed heart-wrenching scenes of exhausted children struggling to get food. Youngsters were queuing for rice or bread to take home to their families, and tensions were high as they waited. Ten-year-old Farah Khaled Basal, from Al Zaytoun, was there to ensure her nine siblings would have something to eat. She was waiting at a center run by World Food Kitchens, where seven aid workers tragically lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike last April. Farah's family is separated from their father, who is in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. She expressed her longing for peace, saying, 'I want to go back to our home and for my father to return to us, and for flour to be available for us. ' Lamees Mohammad Al Mizar'i, a 16-year-old girl from Gaza City, also stood in line for rice. She now lives in a tent with eight family members and reflected on how her perspective on food has changed since the war began. 'I used to be picky about food, complaining when my mom made cauliflower. Now, I eat everything, the good and the bad. Animals do not eat the food we eat,' she explained. Lamees shared how hunger has created tension within her family, saying, 'When I tell my mom I'm not going to queue today, she tells me, 'What would we eat then? Should we keep looking to the sky, then? ' I have to come here. I keep thinking that if I don't come, we won't find anything to eat. ' After collecting her rice, Lamees walked home, passing by a line of adults and children who had also come for food. She muttered to herself as she disappeared into the morning crowd. Meanwhile, in Amman, preparations are underway for more aid to be sent to Gaza. The Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organisation has stated that they could load 150 trucks a day for Gaza if they receive the necessary approval. There is no shortage of willingness to help, as aid agencies, the UN, and other groups are all ready and waiting for the full opening of Gaza to aid and for peace.