Israel 600 UN trucks arrive in Gaza - distribution hindered
The United Nations has brought almost 600 truck deliveries through the Israeli border post Kerem Shalom into the Gaza Strip. However, distribution to those in need is hardly possible.
30.05.2025, 14:50
SDA
This was stated by Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN Emergency Relief Office in Geneva. The roads assigned by the Israeli military are sometimes too dangerous and overcrowded. Sometimes driving permits are canceled at short notice.
The trucks are carrying flour and special food for malnourished children, among other things. With the few resources that could be distributed, clusters of desperate people pounced on the loads, said Laerke. This was understandable for people who wanted to feed their families.
Israel had been blocking aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip since March. According to Israel, this was to increase pressure on the Islamist Hamas to release the last of the hostages kidnapped on October 7, 2023. Ten days ago, Israel eased the blockade slightly.
UN: Israel imposes organizational straitjacket
Laerke sharply criticized the Israeli authorities. "The occupying power is deliberately blocking aid to the Gaza Strip," he said. Nowhere else in the world and in past decades had a humanitarian operation been obstructed to such an extent. He spoke of an organizational "straitjacket".
"This is like drip feeding in a region of catastrophic hunger. Gaza is the hungriest area in the world," said Laerke. It is the only clearly defined area on earth where 100 percent of the inhabitants are at risk of famine, he said. The United Nations has tens of thousands of pallets of food and other supplies on the Gaza Strip's borders, but is not allowed to distribute them.
UN rejects controversial foundation for food distribution
According to the UN, Israel only wants to organize food distribution via the controversial new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This distributes relief supplies under the supervision of armed security personnel at a small number of locations. People in need sometimes have to walk for miles. This is dangerous, says Laerke. Food has to be brought directly to the people.
Israel is relying on the foundation because, according to the government, the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip is stealing UN aid supplies in order to sell them. The UN has not seen any evidence of this, said Laerke. "We have not seen any major diversion of aid under our supervision," he said. In any case, something like this should not lead to two million people not being supplied.
According to Laerke, 81 percent of the Gaza Strip has been declared a military or evacuation zone. Since the end of a ceasefire in March, 635,000 people have been newly displaced.
