BASRA, Dec 21 — Iraq said today it had sent a fuel tanker to Egypt to help alleviate shortages in the Gaza Strip that have hampered relief efforts amid an Israeli siege which has caused a humanitarian crisis.

"An Iraqi tanker carrying a cargo of 10 million litres of fuel has left Basra port for the Suez Canal as an aid to the Palestinians in Gaza and the government of Iraq is planning to send further aid cargoes in future,” said Zedan Khalaf, an adviser to the prime minister for humanitarian affairs.

Around 19,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health officials, since Oct. 7 when Hamas militants killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities, and captured 240 hostages in a surprise raid. — Reuters