Gaza Relief Aid Insufficient Despite Ceasefire, Reports UN and Hamas
Despite the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the flow of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip remains critically insufficient, according to reports from Hamas, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations (UN). The situation has been described as catastrophic
by the WHO, with malnutrition among pregnant women and newborns in Gaza expected to have a generational
impact.
Background
A ceasefire agreement was brokered by the US between Israel and Hamas on 10 October, following a devastating conflict. However, the flow of aid into the region has been significantly less than agreed upon, leading to a crisis of malnutrition and hunger in Gaza. The ceasefire agreement stipulated the entry of 600 trucks of aid per day, but according to preliminary data from UN, fewer than 100 trucks have been entering daily.
Aid Shortage Sparks Crisis
Hamas has accused Israel of dragging its feet
on letting aid into Gaza, while the WHO confirms that the number of trucks entering the region is significantly lower than the agreed-upon 600 per day. According to Hamas official Ismail Radwan, the amount of aid allowed into Gaza is just a “drop in the ocean”.
Hunger and malnutrition have become widespread in the wake of the conflict. The WHO has noted little improvement in the amount of aid entering Gaza since the ceasefire took effect and has warned of a catastrophic
situation. There is no dent in hunger because there is not enough food
, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Impact on Health
The limited aid entering Gaza has severe health implications, particularly for pregnant women and newborns. Andrew Saberton, deputy executive director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), warned of generational
impacts from malnutrition among pregnant women and babies, as 70 percent of newborns are premature or underweight, compared to 20 percent before the conflict.
Aid Rejections by Israel
Forty-one NGOs, including Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and Oxfam, have raised the alarm over continued rejections of shipments of life-saving aid into Gaza by the Israeli authorities since the ceasefire was implemented. In many cases, Israeli authorities cited that the organisations were not authorised
to deliver aid, due to a new restrictive registration process.
Call for Action
The UN has urged Israel to fully open all border crossings to allow life-saving food aid into the besieged territory. This is seen as vital to prevent a famine and sustain the ceasefire agreement. In response to the current situation, the WHO led an evacuation of 41 critical patients out of Gaza for medical care. However, the Rafah crossing remains closed, despite the UN's call for all routes to be opened for medical evacuation.
Conclusion
Despite the ceasefire, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. The flow of aid into the region is much lower than agreed upon in the ceasefire agreement, leading to widespread hunger and malnutrition. The UN and other organisations continue to urge Israel to allow more aid into the region to avert a deepening crisis.