CAIRO: Preparations were underway on Sunday for a ramp-up of aid entering the war-battered Gaza Strip under a new ceasefire deal that many are hoping will signal an end to the devastating 2-year-long war between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli defense body in charge of humanitarian aid in Gaza, COGAT, said the number of aid trucks entering the Palestinian territory was expected to increase on Sunday to around 600 per day, as stipulated in the agreement. Egypt said it is sending 400 aid trucks into Gaza on Sunday. The trucks will have to be inspected by Israeli forces before being allowed in.

Unicef says ‘humanitarian crisis continues’ and expects to scale up aid deliveries on Sunday

A cease-fire remains in effect in Gaza, where aid is flowing while Israel prepares to receive 48 released hostages, only 20 of whom are thought to be alive.