Palestinians in Gaza are waiting for the first deliveries of aid to begin moving in, following a deal earlier in the week between the US and Egypt to open the border at Rafah to a limited number of supply trucks. 

Supplies of food, medicines, water purifiers and blankets have been piling up at the Rafah crossing with Egypt, amid fears aid deliveries could be delayed.

"We hope there will be a crossing tomorrow," World Health Organization (WHO) boss Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Thursday.

"But for sure, based on the experience we had the last few days, we are also at the same time worried whether this will happen."

The wait for desperately needed humanitarian assistance comes amid continued aerial bombardment and warnings of an imminent ground invasion from Israel's military.

Gaza was sealed off shortly after the militant Islamist group Hamas — a designated terrorist organization by the US, the EU and other governments — launched a large-scale attack on southern Israel, in which 1,400 people were killed and around 200 others were taken hostage.

Israel launched attacks on Hamas targets situated in Gaza after cutting off food and fuel from entering the territory.

Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry says that since the bombing began more than 3,785 Palestinians have been killed.

On Thursday, US President Joe Biden urged for the implementation of the deal struck with Israel and Egypt to allow an initial group of 20 trucks to begin aid deliveries. 

The deal came with strict conditions from Israel. Aid must only go to civilians and not fall into the hands of Hamas militants.

"The people of Gaza urgently need food, water and medicine," Biden said in a televised address from the Oval Office on his return from Israel where he had been visiting to show solidarity, while also trying to defuse regional tensions.