BERLIN: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hailed the arrival of trucks carrying humanitarian aid in the besieged Gaza Strip on Saturday, marking the first delivery of relief goods since the start of the war.

“It is good and important news that the first humanitarian aid is now being delivered to the people in Gaza,” Scholz said on X, formerly Twitter, adding that Germany would work “through all channels to alleviate the suffering in this conflict.”

The German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was in Egypt Saturday to participate in a “Summit for Peace” organised by the Egyptian president.

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She said in a post on X Saturday that the civilian population of Gaza “lacks everything” and called for expanded deliveries.

These first aid deliveries in Gaza are “a sign of hope in these difficult times”, Baerbock posted.

Germany said Thursday that it was going to give 50 million euros in additional aid for civilians in Gaza, on the first stage of Baerbock’s mini-tour of the Middle East.