Title: Humanitarian Aid Flow to Gaza Comes to a Halt Amidst Political Tensions
In recent weeks, international pressure and warnings of an imminent famine in the Gaza Strip prompted Israel to increase humanitarian aid supplies to the territory. However, the flow of aid has now come to a near-total stop, with both Israel and Egypt imposing restrictions on the border crossings.
Israel closed the Kerem Shalom crossing after a Hamas rocket attack killed four Israeli soldiers, and subsequently seized and closed the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian border. Despite reopening Kerem Shalom for some fuel deliveries, humanitarian aid like food and medicines has not been allowed through since last Sunday.
Egypt, where most aid for Gaza is collected and loaded, is reportedly resisting sending trucks towards Kerem Shalom in an effort to pressure Israel to pull back from the Rafah operation. Efforts by U.S. officials to persuade Egypt to dispatch the trucks have been rebuffed, with Egypt citing sovereignty concerns.
The situation is further complicated by Israeli military activity near Kerem Shalom, which has damaged roads and made it difficult for aid trucks to navigate into Gaza. Additionally, ongoing fighting in the area has made it unsafe for aid workers.
With tens of thousands of civilians fleeing Rafah and hospitals in Gaza running low on fuel, the United Nations and aid groups warn that the situation has become far more dire. Despite Israel’s claims that they are doing everything to enable aid to enter, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen.
As the political tensions surrounding aid delivery to Gaza escalate, the international community remains concerned about the well-being of the civilians caught in the crossfire.
Contributors: Julian E. Barnes, Gaya Gupta, and Aaron Boxerman
