CAIRO, October 20. /TASS/. Hamas believes the notion of delivering humanitarian assistance only to southern parts of the Gaza Strip is an attempt by Israel to drive Palestinians into Egypt.

"Delivering aid exclusively to Gaza’s southern areas is a measure that will allow the occupation authorities to continue exerting pressure on our people, forcing them to move from the north to the south under devastating bombardments and attacks in a bid to drive them into to Egypt," Hamas said in a statement posted on Telegram.

Hamas insists that relief aid to Gaza should come via the Rafah crossing on a permanent basis and be distributed to all parts of the Gaza Strip rather than only to the south. It stressed that 20 trucks with humanitarian cargoes, as previously agreed upon, are not enough, since "Gaza needs much more medicine and food." "Around 500 trucks have been entering the enclave daily for the past 17 years," and that was not enough either, it said.

"We insist that the Rafah checkpoint be opened on a permanent basis to evacuate those wounded for treatment abroad, as well as to deliver assistance to all parts of the Gaza Strip, to the north and south," Hamas said. "The decision on 20 trucks is an American-Zionist attempt to blow smoke, to deceive the public."

On Friday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres arrived at the Rafah crossing on Egypt’s border with the Gaza Strip to personally oversee the transportation of humanitarian aid to Gaza. According to media reports, the first 20 trucks with humanitarian cargoes are expected to reach the Gaza Strip today. Meanwhile, the checkpoint’s administration on the Palestinian side said that repairs of the road near the checkpoint may take time and passage to the first trucks going to Gaza may be delayed. A UN official told the Al Hadath television channel that the first batch of humanitarian aid will be sent to Gaza within the next two days.