As Israel escalates its air attacks on the blockaded territory, 17 trucks made their way from Egypt to Gaza.
A second aid convoy has entered the Gaza Strip from Egypt, while Israel continues its continuous bombardment of the besieged enclave, resulting in 55 casualties overnight. On Sunday, a total of 17 trucks brought humanitarian assistance to Gaza, following a previous convoy of 20 trucks that delivered medical supplies, food, and water to the area. The intense Israeli bombing of Gaza began on October 7, in response to a deadly Hamas attack that resulted in the deaths of more than 1,400 Israelis.
Reporting from Khan Younis in Gaza, the trucks are primarily carrying much-needed medical aid. According to reports, these medical supplies are intended for hospitals in the Gaza Strip, which are facing an urgent shortage of medical resources. Notably, there is no fuel reported to be on these trucks, and the hospitals are expressing serious concerns about the fuel shortage.
Thomas White from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), speaking from Gaza, clarified that the aid trucks, which may appear to resemble fuel trucks, do contain fuel, but it is being internally transferred between depots. He emphasized the critical need for fuel to enter Gaza to support ongoing aid operations.
Aid agencies are issuing warnings that the delivery of supplies should be consistent, as the current assistance is only a small fraction of what is required to meet the extensive needs of Gaza's 2.3 million residents.
The humanitarian situation in this densely populated area is extremely dire. Medical supplies are running critically low, and there is a shortage of food and clean drinking water. Israel's actions, including cutting off electricity, fuel, and water supplies, have exacerbated the situation following some of the deadliest attacks in decades.
The United Nations reports that the ongoing air strikes have caused damage to sanitation facilities, water wells, reservoirs, and pumping stations in Gaza. According to the international agency's assessment, approximately 100 trucks per day are required to address the pressing humanitarian needs of the region.
Cindy McCain, who serves as the executive director of the World Food Programme, emphasized the necessity of increasing the number of aid trucks reaching Gaza. She also stressed the importance of ensuring that aid is delivered to the intended recipients safely and consistently.
Aid has been delivered in the midst of the Israeli military's nightly bombing of Rafah and Gaza.
Local authorities report that at least 55 people have died and 30 homes have been demolished in Gaza as a result of Israel's nighttime air attacks.
Journalist reported that the scene near the crossing was one of "humanitarian aid delivery under mass bombardment" after the Israeli army bombed Rafah on Saturday.
The UN has increased its pressure on Hamas and Israel and has started demanding for "a humanitarian ceasefire" to decide where aid may be delivered securely.
Martin Griffiths, UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief, says that "what that means is very simple: We need to have clarity about places which will not be bombed or attacked by anyone - by either side."
Without specifically mentioning reported Israeli strikes on hospitals and schools housing displaced residents of Gaza, Griffiths stated that "typically, civilian infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and so forth are actually exempt from any attack in war, by the rules of war by international humanitarian law."
The UN's top humanitarian official added that he wanted negotiations to result in a formalized "inspection regime" of aid delivered into Gaza, similar to what has been established in other conflicts, as well as a mechanism for establishing an "up-to-date" picture of the needs of Gaza residents so that aid can be distributed more effectively.
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