Have Only 980 Trucks of Humanitarian Aid Entered Gaza Since the Ceasefire?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Only 980 trucks of aid have entered Gaza since the ceasefire began.
- The daily average of trucks is significantly lower than anticipated.
- Critical shortages of essential supplies persist.
- Urgent calls for increased aid have been made by local authorities.
- The UN remains engaged in monitoring the situation.
Gaza, Oct 21 (NationPress) The media office operated by Hamas reported on Tuesday that merely 980 trucks of humanitarian aid have crossed into the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire commenced on October 10, a staggering difference from the projected 6,600.
According to their press release, the aid convoys included 14 trucks of cooking gas and 28 trucks filled with diesel fuel intended for bakeries, generators, hospitals, and other vital sectors, amidst a critical shortage of essential supplies that residents require for daily survival.
The report highlighted that the average daily entry of trucks into Gaza has only been slightly over 89 since the ceasefire began, contrasting sharply with the anticipated 600 trucks per day. This situation has been characterized by the office as a “continuous suffocation, starvation, and humanitarian blackmail” imposed by the occupation on over 2.4 million residents of Gaza.
It further cautioned that the limited aid fails to fulfill even the basic humanitarian and living necessities, calling for an immediate and sustained flow of at least 600 trucks daily, which should include food, medical supplies, relief items, fuel, and cooking gas to meet basic survival conditions, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
The office reaffirmed that local government bodies are prepared to coordinate fully with international humanitarian and relief organizations to facilitate the entry of aid and ensure equitable distribution across all governorates and essential facilities in the Gaza Strip.
As per the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas effective from October 10, the first phase entails partial Israeli troop withdrawals, the exchange of hostages and prisoners, along with a substantial increase in aid deliveries to Gaza.
The United Nations expressed cautious optimism regarding the fragile truce in Gaza, following a series of apparent breaches over the weekend.
“We are pleased that all parties have reaffirmed their commitments to uphold the ceasefire in Gaza and commend the diligent efforts of the mediators,” stated Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. “However, we remain troubled by ongoing acts of violence in Gaza and the reported attacks and strikes that occurred yesterday.”
Dujarric urged the involved parties to honor their commitments, safeguard civilians, and refrain from actions that could reignite hostilities and disrupt humanitarian operations.
“We reiterate the Secretary-General's appeal for the release of the remains of all deceased hostages,” the UN spokesperson added.