The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) intends to send the first humanitarian relief into Basra, which is still controlled by Iraqi forces, today.
"We have co-ordinated with the Allied forces and the Iraqi government to send two trucks, carrying mainly medical aid, on Friday morning," said ICRC spokeswoman Ms Tamara al-Refai.
"The warring parties must guarantee our safety during the journey because the two trucks will not be escorted," she said, adding the ICRC had learnt the area was not yet safe.
The medical supplies - including anaesthetics, suture threads, intravenous fluids, bandages and blankets - will be distributed to four hospitals in Basra to help them cope with the rising numbers of casualties, Ms Refai said.
Meanwhile, Umm Qasr port is now a "safe area" for UN operations and its channel has been widened so aid should soon start flowing, a British forces spokesman said.
Umm Qasr, Iraq's only deep-water port, which is now in British hands, is the main entry point for aid but had been deemed too dangerous for civilian humanitarian operations.
The US and British military are keen to see food, water and other supplies distributed to Iraqi civilians as part of their campaign to "win hearts and minds".
Group Capt Al Lockwood, main spokesman for British forces at the Central Command in Qatar, said: "You will see more aid flowing through Umm Qasr. The port has now been accepted by the UN as a safe area so we expect to see their influence there very shortly.
"Minesweeping operations have continued. We have now broadened the channel and the approaches to Umm Qasr to over 1,000 yards. So things are stabilising, things are getting better by the day in that area, and aid will flow." He added: "The UN is now prepared to go in there with its people and assist with humanitarian aid".
An Australian ship carrying 50,000 tonnes of wheat has been unable to unload its cargo because it is too big to go into the port without dredging. One small shipload of aid, on the British navy ship Sir Galahad, arrived through the port last week. - (Reuters)