The United Nations stated it is unsure of the number of trucks waiting at the Gaza border due to blockade by Israel, local media reports said.
The official of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Jens Laerke, said Israel has denied the UN’s request to be present at border crossings as the Israeli army considers them as militarized zones.
Hence, the UN “cannot verify” the quantity of “supplies” stuck at the crossing, the official was quoted as saying.
He added that Israel has deployed multiple check points for the humanitarian aid which enters Gaza.
UN: Israel Obstructing Humanitarian Aid Efforts
Reportedly, the aid crosses into Gaza from Israel and then the trucks leave the aid behind before returning to Israel.
The trucks then need a permission from authorities in Gaza to travel toward the crossing and collect the aid.
“It is not just about the denial of requests to pick up aid,” Laerke emphasized. “As the occupying power and a party to the conflict, Israel must facilitate humanitarian efforts to the point where the aid reaches the people who need it to survive.”
This obligation includes providing timely authorisations, permitting the use of safer and multiple routes, instructing troops to stay clear of aid convoys, and ensuring civilians are not targeted along the way.
“Without all these conditions met, safe and principled delivery of aid at scale cannot happen,” he said, adding that even when approved, missions are often obstructed on the ground.
Hamas Calls For Sustained Global Pressure On Israel
On the other hand, Israeli minister Amichai Eliyahu has stated that the Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to “wipe out Gaza” and clear it for Jewish settlement, media reports said.
Hamas, in response, said that as Gaza faces humanitarian crisis, a “shameful silence” has been maintained by global powers.
The Palestinian group added that Israeli government is involved in “brutal crime” in Gaza, local media reports added.
Hamas urged the EU, Britain, Australia, and Canada to halt the supply of weapons to Israel.
It also said that these countries should demand accountability from Israeli regime for using starvation as a tool of genocide.
Also Read: European Union Warns Of Action Against Israel Amid Surge In Gaza Deaths
