Just 69 trucks carrying desperately needed aid entered Gaza from Egypt on Thursday, less than half the daily average during the Israel-Hamas truce last week, the United Nations’ humanitarian agency said.
Meanwhile, only 61,000 liters of fuel made it through on Thursday, far below the average of 110,000 liters during the temporary ceasefire.
It comes after UN Secretary-General António Guterres formally referred the situation in Gaza to the UN Security Council, urging its members to “avert a humanitarian catastrophe” in the besieged enclave.
Before the October 7 attacks, a daily average of 500 truckloads of aid entered Gaza, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
It has been difficult for Gaza to receive aid because of telecommunications blackouts and many UN staff are unable to report to the Rafah crossing because of the conflict, OCHA said.
Glimmers of hope: For the first time since November 29, World Health Organization officials on Thursday delivered trauma and emergency supplies to the European Gaza Hospital and the Nasser Medical Complex in the southern city of Khan Younis — enough supplies to cover 4,500 patients, OCHA said.
Meanwhile, Israel on Thursday said it will open the Kerem Shalom border crossing between Israel and Gaza for the inspection of aid trucks in the “next few days” as the UN aid chief hailed the “promising signs” pointing toward this development.
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