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Aid 'a lifeline' for war-torn Gaza: UN chief at Rafah border

Cargo planes and trucks have been bringing humanitarian aid to Rafah for days, but so far none has been delivered to Gaza.

AP

Rafah is the only route into the blockaded Palestinian territory that is not controlled by Israel. / Photo: AA / Photo: AP

Aid trucks waiting to cross from Egypt into Palestine's Gaza are "a lifeline" which need to move into the war-torn Palestinian enclave as soon as possible, the UN chief has said.

"These trucks are not just trucks, they are a lifeline. They are the difference between life and death for so many people in Gaza," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday as he visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing to oversee preparations for the delivery of aid.

"To see (the aid trucks) stuck here makes me be very clear: what we need is to make them move... to the other side of this wall... as quickly as possible and as many as possible," Guterres told reporters at the crossing.

The UN chief said it must be "a sustained effort" with not just one convoy crossing but for many "to be authorised in a meaningful number to have enough trucks to provide support to Gaza's people".

"It is essential to have fuel on the other side... to be able to distribute humanitarian aid for the population in Gaza," Guterres said, warning against the use of aid deliveries as "bargaining chips".

The United Nations, he said, was "actively engaging with all the parties", including Egypt, Israel and the United States, to get the trucks moving as quickly as possible.

The UN chief's remarks came on the eve of a summit set to be hosted by Egypt to discuss efforts towards de-escalation and a ceasefire in Gaza.