Is Aid Finally Reaching Gaza After Two Years of Israeli Genocide? Here’s What We Know
After two years of genocide, Israel has allowed only a fraction of the humanitarian aid deliveries agreed on as part of the ceasefire, now in its third week, including shelters and food. Aid agencies and Gaza residents describe the aid entering as “limited”, calling on Israel to facilitate the flow of assistance.
Israeli-Made Famine
During the two-year genocidal war on Gaza, Israel closed all border crossings, including the Rafah crossing with Egypt, blocking the entry of aid and goods.
The tight siege led to a famine, officially declared by the IPC in August, leaving dozens dead from malnutrition and a lack of medicine.
What Does the Ceasefire Say About Gaza Aid?
The US-brokered agreement signed on October 10 between Hamas and Israel stipulated an end to the siege by the reopening of the Rafah crossing for the movement of people and the entry of 600 humanitarian aid trucks, including 50 carrying fuel, daily.
Has Israel Committed to This?
No. Here’s Why:
In a statement on Saturday, Gaza’s Government Media Office said that 3,203 commercial and aid trucks brought supplies into Gaza between October 10 and 31.
This is an average of 145 aid trucks per day, or just 24 percent of the 600 trucks that are meant to be entering Gaza daily as part of the deal, it added.
People Movement: Israel has so far kept the Rafah crossing closed, preventing tens of thousands of critically wounded and sick people from seeking treatment abroad.
Fuel: Only around 115 fuel trucks have entered, roughly 10 percent of the agreed quantity.
Trucks: The number of trucks entering the Gaza Strip has consistently fallen well below the 600 needed daily, averaging around 145 carrying humanitarian aid each day, along with some transporting commercial goods.
Medicine: Only around 10 percent of essential and urgently needed medical supplies have entered.
Heavy Machinery: Israel has yet to permit the entry of heavy machinery required to clear rubble, reopen roads and retrieve bodies.
Shelters: Israel has not allowed a meaningful quantity of tents and shelters to enter since the start of the war.