Trucks carrying aid arrive in Gaza (Photo Credit: Reuters)
– Photo: ANI/Reuters
Expansion
The Israeli military announced a diplomatic pause on its offensive into Gaza to allow the delivery of increased demand for humanitarian aid. The military said the blockade was imposed from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Rafah area. The blockade will remain in place every day until further notice. The blockade is aimed at allowing aid trucks to reach the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing, the main gateway for aid delivery to the area. The blockage is being coordinated with the United Nations and international aid agencies.
Eight months of war has plunged Gaza into a humanitarian crisis
For eight months, Israeli forces have been continuously attacking Gaza. This attack has put Gaza into a humanitarian crisis. The UN has reported hunger in Gaza and hundreds of thousands of people are on the verge of famine. International aid agencies urged Israel to ease the crisis. According to data from the United Nations Humanitarian Office, the UN received an average of 68 trucks of aid per day from May 6 to June 6. This was much less than the average of 168 per day in April. Aid groups say that 500 trucks are needed per day.
As humanitarian needs in Gaza grew, the flow of aid began to slow. Nearly one million Palestinians fled to Rafah. Many had already fled, most of them now living in ramshackle tents and camps. COGAT, the Israeli military agency that oversees aid distribution in Gaza, says there are no restrictions on the entry of aid trucks. It said 8,600 trucks entered Gaza through various crossings between May 2 and June 13.
COGAT spokesman Shimon Friedman said, “It was the UN’s fault that its cargo was stored in the Gaza area at Kerem Shalom.” However, the UN denied these allegations. The UN said that the fighting between Israel and Hamas often makes it dangerous for UN trucks to travel inside Gaza to Kerem Shalom. He said that due to lack of security, mobs often loot the trucks on the way.