Egypt Daily News – United Nations spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Tuesday that no humanitarian aid has been distributed inside the Gaza Strip so far, despite additional supplies reaching the Palestinian side through the Kerem Shalom crossing.
“One of our teams waited several hours today for Israeli approval to enter the Kerem Shalom area and collect food supplies,” Dujarric stated. “Unfortunately, they were unable to move the supplies into our warehouses.”
On Monday, Israel allowed a limited resumption of aid entry into Gaza after an 11-week blockade. Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said on Tuesday that Israel had granted permission for about 100 additional emergency aid trucks to enter Gaza. However, he added that the first shipments in weeks remain under Israeli control.
Laerke warned during a press briefing in Geneva that Gaza, home to 2.3 million people, is on the brink of famine. Mounting international criticism over the humanitarian crisis has pressured Israel into easing the blockade.
“We requested approval for more trucks to enter today, and we received it,” Laerke said. “It’s a significantly higher number than yesterday.” When asked for a specific figure, he replied: “Around 100.”
