Israel’s Plans to Increase Aid to Gaza Stalled as Border Crossing Remains Blocked
Despite promises to increase aid to Gaza by opening an additional border crossing and accepting shipments at a nearby Israeli port, Israel’s plans have hit a roadblock. Last week, Israel announced it would reopen the Erez crossing for aid delivery, but satellite imagery revealed that the road leading to Erez on the Gaza side was blocked by rubble and damage from a destroyed building.
In response to the damage at Erez, Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, announced that another crossing near Zikim would open instead. Additionally, the port of Ashdod, located around 20 miles northeast of Gaza, would be used for aid shipments. However, no specific timeline was provided for these changes.
The United Nations has warned of a looming famine in Gaza, with conditions in northern Gaza already meeting the criteria for a famine. Aid groups, the U.N., and many governments have criticized Israel for restricting aid into Gaza, with only about 110 aid trucks entering daily, far below pre-war levels.
Israel has defended its actions, stating that aid agencies have failed in distributing aid effectively. The recent increase in aid trucks allowed into Gaza has been disputed, with questions raised about the accuracy of the numbers reported.
Challenges remain in distributing aid inside Gaza, particularly in the north where access has been denied to UNRWA, the main U.N. relief agency in the territory. Despite promises to scale up aid, the delivery of much-needed assistance to Gaza continues to face obstacles.
As the situation in Gaza remains dire, the international community is closely monitoring Israel’s efforts to increase aid and provide much-needed relief to the people of Gaza.
