The United Nations has reported a significant drop in humanitarian aid entering Gaza since Israel began its military operation in the region. The daily average of aid trucks reaching Gaza dropped by 67%, with only 58 trucks reaching the area from May 7 to Tuesday. Israel has stated that it is committed to facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza despite ongoing conflict with Hamas.
Israeli tanks continued to raid Rafah for a second day, defying the World Court’s order to end attacks on the city. The United States did not believe a major ground operation was underway, despite Israel’s incursion into Rafah. Residents reported Israeli tanks entering various areas before retreating towards the border with Egypt. The Palestinian health ministry called for immediate healthcare assistance in Rafah and northern Gaza, where hospitals had stopped functioning. UNRWA reported that around a million Palestinians had fled after Israeli evacuation orders. The Red Crescent Society evacuated medical teams due to ongoing bombardments. The World Court criticized Israel for not ensuring the safety and well-being of the evacuees from Rafah. Israel proposed a ceasefire and hostage release to Qatar, but Hamas insisted talks were pointless unless Israel ended its offensive on Rafah. Over 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s Gaza offensive.
The United Nations has not received any aid from a U.S.-built pier in Gaza for the past two days after an incident on Saturday in which food was taken from 11 out of 16 trucks before they reached a U.N. warehouse.
The cessation of aid deliveries through the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip is due to the threat posed by Israel’s military operations in the area. Israel’s military offensive has caused activity to stop at the crossing since May 7, leaving international aid stuck on the Egyptian side of the border and raising concerns about food supplies perishing. Egypt’s foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, has called for Israel to open other land crossings to deliver aid.
The United States has anchored a temporary floating pier to a beach in Gaza to boost aid deliveries, facing challenges in distributing assistance due to a dire shortage of fuel for aid trucks and security concerns. Trucks carrying humanitarian aid are expected to begin moving ashore soon, but there are still unresolved challenges. The pier project, costing 0 million, aims to combat the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by opening a sea route for aid delivery. Israel and Hamas have been engaged in a seven-month-long war, with the U.N. losing staff members in the conflict. Aid access in Gaza has dwindled, and a severe fuel shortage may impact aid operations. The U.S.-delivered aid will follow a complex path, involving inspections by Israel, third-party collection and distribution by the U.N. officials, and security concerns in the region. Discussions between the U.S. and the U.N. on aid delivery from the pier are ongoing.
The United States is working on establishing a floating pier off the coast of the Gaza Strip to improve aid deliveries, facing challenges such as fuel shortages and security concerns. The project has been slow and expensive, with the U.N. emphasizing that land routes remain crucial for aid operations. Aid deliveries via the maritime corridor have begun, with plans for U.S.-delivered aid to be collected by third parties and distributed by the U.N. Israel has been accused of impeding aid deliveries, but denies any constraints on operations.
A shortage of banknotes in Gaza is causing chaos, with only a few ATMs operational in the southern city of Rafah. Residents are facing long waits and sometimes paying fees to access cash, as armed gangs exploit the situation. The conflict has led to a lack of liquidity in the enclave, with hundreds of millions of shekels stuck in bank vaults. Essential goods remain scarce, and some merchants are profiteering from the shortage by charging high commissions. Gaza’s economy relies heavily on Israel, which has blocked cash imports since the start of the war.
The US military has completed over 50% of the construction of a temporary artificial port in Gaza to help deliver humanitarian aid, costing around 0 million. The port is expected to be operational soon, but it will not replace aid deliveries through land routes. US officials are working to address the food insecurity faced by the 2.4 million people in Gaza, following a deadly conflict between Hamas and Israel.
The United Nations is facing difficulties in delivering aid to the Gaza Strip, with significant checkpoint delays and denied requests for aid deliveries. Despite some improvements in coordination with Israel, challenges persist in scaling up aid distribution. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated, leading to increased global outrage. Israel has approved reopening crossings and ports for aid delivery after pressure from U.S. President Joe Biden. The focus is on improving access to essential services like water, sanitation, and health to prevent famine. U.S. officials acknowledge progress in aid delivery but are working to further improve the situation. Israel is retaliating against Hamas in Gaza following an attack, resulting in casualties on both sides.