More than 3,200 aid trucks have entered the Gaza Strip from various crossings since the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas took effect on Sunday.
The ceasefire agreement initiates six weeks of calm, raising hopes for an end to 15 months of Israeli assaults on Gaza that devastated the enclave and for the release of dozens of hostages held there.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday that its Givati Brigade had withdrawn from the northern Jabalia area during the truce, but was preparing for potential future operations.
Also on Wednesday, Egypt announced that 300 aid trucks had passed through the Rafah border crossing into Gaza following inspections at the Al-Oja and Kerem Shalom crossings under the Israeli control. Among these, 25 trucks carried fuel, a critical resource for Gaza.
Egyptian officials and Red Crescent sources said that efforts are being made to prepare the Rafah crossing for two-way operations by the weekend, with heavy machinery repairing roads around the crossing and near Palestinian cities to facilitate the delivery of aid and the evacuation of injured Palestinians to Egypt.
Since the ceasefire tool effect on Sunday, over 3,200 aid trucks carrying food, medical supplies, and other essentials had entered Gaza through multiple crossings, according to reports as of Wednesday.
On the same day, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that 808 trucks had entered Gaza to mark the fourth day of the truce.
The United Nations has identified Gaza's prioritized humanitarian needs including food relief, healthcare, hospital supplies, water network repairs, house reconstruction materials, and family reunifications.
The ceasefire agreement, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, was announced on January 15 and consists of three phases towards a permanent ceasefire between the parties.
Aid pours into Gaza as Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal enters fourth day
Aid pours into Gaza as Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal enters fourth day
Aid pours into Gaza as Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal enters fourth day
Retired American teacher Ronald Sakolsky has shared his emotions at being able to enjoy a "dream" reunion with Chinese desert-control pioneer Yin Yuzhen, after the pair met to reflect on their desertification-control efforts a whole 27 years after their first encounter.
The remarkable story stretches all the way back to 1999, when Sakolsky was teaching English at a school in central China's Henan Province under a teachers' exchange program between the U.S. and China.
After watching a television news report featuring the tireless work of Yin, he was deeply moved and raised 5,000 U.S. dollars to help Yin and her husband in their afforestation efforts against desertification in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Months later, at the invitation of local officials, Sakolsky traveled to the desert to meet Yin in person. In a symbolic gesture, Yin kept one dollar as a souvenir of Sakolsky's kindness, while she also bought 50,000 saplings to plant.
After that brief visit deep in the heart of the expansive Mu Us Desert, the two lost touch and their transcontinental friendship faded with time.
But, in an incredible twist, that all changed earlier this year, when a public campaign across Chinese social media successfully tracked down the now 69-year-old Sakolsky in the United States.
The renewed connection quickly led to an online clamor for the pair to have a long-overdue reunion, and finally Sakolsky arrived in Ordos City on Sunday to once again meet Yin in person.
In a touching interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), Sakolsky could not hide his joy at this dream meeting becoming a reality, as he said the unexpected get together felt very different to how he had imagined it.
"It's definitely different, because I can touch her. In my imagination, it is just in my head. But I can touch her, I can hug her, and I can watch her cry and cry with her. I say it's a miracle because nobody could tell me that I would ever come to China in 1999. Definitely nobody could tell me that I would be back in China in 2026. But when you can touch your dream, it becomes a reality. It's not a dream anymore. So these last two days have been reality for me," said Sakolsky.
Seated next to him, Yin highlighted the importance of always keeping one's promises, no matter how long has passed.
"I believe that first, you have to be a good person, and then you can do things well," she said.
The passage of time between their first meeting is poignantly seen in the land cultivated by Yin. The small swathe of green she started over a quarter of a century ago has now expanded to more than 8 million trees, covering more than 11,000 acres of once-barren land.
US teacher shares emotion at "dream" reunion with Chinese desert-control pioneer
