Israel continued ahead on Tuesday with its new “major” military offensive in Gaza despite growing international criticism from allies and foes alike, launching numerous airstrikes across the enclave that health officials say killed at least 85 Palestinians.
Israeli officials also said they allowed in dozens more trucks carrying aid.
Two days after Israel allowed aid to trickle into Gaza, the desperately needed new supplies have not yet reached people in dire need of them. Most of Gaza’s 2.1 million population are in critical need of basic supplies, food and medicine, according to the United Nations.
“Just to make it clear, while more supplies have come in to the Gaza Strip, we have not been able to secure the arrival of those supplies into our warehouses and delivery points,” said Stephane Dujarric, United Nations Spokesperson for the Secretary General.
Residents of the world’s most densely populated territory have sustained life under horrendous conditions after Israel imposed a blockade on all imports into Gaza almost three months ago. Experts have repeatedly warned that most of the population are at severe risk of famine.
COGAT, the Israeli defence body that oversees humanitarian aid, said five trucks entered on Monday and 93 trucks entered on Tuesday. Dujarric said the UN confirmed only a few dozen trucks entered Gaza on Tuesday.
The aid included flour for bakeries, food for soup kitchens, medical supplies and more.
But none of that aid actually reached Palestinians, according to the UN. Dujarric described the new security process for getting aid cleared to warehouses as “long, complex, complicated and dangerous.”
He said Israeli military requirements for aid workers to unload and reload the trucks are hindering efforts to distribute the aid. COGAT did not immediately comment on the new procedures.
The UN humanitarian agency said it is prioritising baby formula in the first shipments, announcing that the first trucks in more than 11-weeks have finally arrived in Gaza.
“The first trucks of vital baby food are now inside Gaza after 11 weeks of a total blockade and it is urgent that we get that assistance distributed as we need much, much more to cross,” added Dujarric.
The United Nations humanitarian agency received approval for about 100 trucks to enter Gaza, spokesman Jens Laerke said – far less than the 600 trucks that crossed into the enclave daily during the latest ceasefire that Israel ended in March. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said dozens of aid trucks are expected to enter each day.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he decided to let in limited aid after pressure from allies, who told him they couldn’t support Israel while devastating images of starvation were coming out of Gaza.
Under pressure, Israel agreed this week to allow a “minimal” amount of aid into the Palestinian territory after preventing the entry of food, medicine and fuel in an attempt to pressure the Hamas militant group.
The UN and various human rights and activist groups have slammed Israel for the blockade saying the move amounted to collective punishment. They also accused Israel of committing a war crime for using starvation as a military strategy.
SOURCE: EURONEWS
