What’s Stopping Gaza Aid? A Look at Israel’s Blockade and Border Restrictions

With growing international outcry over starvation in Gaza, Israel has announced plans for aid airdrops and humanitarian corridors, The Associated Press reported Saturday. But the reality on the ground appears to be complex: while hundreds of aid trucks reportedly remain parked at the border, desperately needed supplies, experts say, are still not reaching civilians inside.

Israel Plans Airdrops Amid Reports of Mass Starvation in Gaza, Especially Among Kids

On Saturday, Israel’s military said it would begin airdropping aid into Gaza and create corridors for UN convoys, an announcement that follows reports of starvation-related deaths and increasing pressure from allies over the worsening humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged territory.

However, the military’s statement didn’t clarify when or where these humanitarian corridors would open. It also underlined that “combat operations have not ceased”, while insisting that there is “no starvation” in Gaza, as reported by The AP.

Hundreds of Aid Trucks, Still Stuck

According to Israeli estimates cited by the news agency, over 4,500 aid trucks have been allowed into Gaza since May, effectively meaning about 70 trucks a day on an average, which is far less than the hundreds the UN says are needed daily to prevent famine.

Journalists were recently shown hundreds of aid pallets at the Kerem Shalom crossing waiting for pickup. Israel has blamed the UN for failing to collect and distribute the aid, even as the UN version of the aid delivery paints a starkly different picture.

Dangerous Routes, Delays and Denials

To collect the aid, UN trucks must travel through Israeli military-controlled zones, often with little to no clearance or protection, reports say. Olga Cherevko, a spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told AP, “These factors have put people and humanitarian staff at grave risk and forced aid agencies to pause the collection of cargo.”

There is also the threat of looting by armed gangs and desperate civilians. At least 79 Palestinians were reportedly killed this week alone while trying to access aid, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The UN says Israeli troops opened fire, a claim Israel has denied.

According to the OCHA, assigned truck routes are often dangerous or impassable, and over half of the UN movement requests were denied or delayed in recent months. These roadblocks, the UN officials lament, are crippling aid efforts.

UN Says Consistent Aid Is the Key

The UN stresses that consistent daily aid is essential to preventing looting and restoring order.

“The best protection for us is community buy-in,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric reportedly said, adding, “And to get that… communities have to understand that trucks will come every day.”

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