Machinery to repair roads has been sent through the Rafah border crossing from Egypt into the Gaza Strip in preparation for the delivery of some of the aid stockpiled in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, Reuters quoted two security sources as saying.

Rafah is the only crossing out of Gaza not controlled by Israel but has been out of operation since the first days of Israel’s bombardment of the Palestinian enclave.

More than 100 trucks were waiting close to the crossing on the Egyptian side, though it was not expected that aid would enter before Friday, Egyptian security sources said. More aid is being held in the Egyptian city of Al Arish, about 45 km (28 miles) from Rafah.