Aid trucks waiting to cross from Egypt into 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,” AFP quotes UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as saying as he visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing with Gaza to oversee preparations for the delivery of aid.

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”.

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