GAZA: Trucks carrying aid crossed into Gaza on Saturday, the first convoy of humanitarian supplies since Israel began a devastating siege 12 days ago and after further heavy Israeli bombardment overnight that killed dozens of Palestinians, Reuters news agency reported.
U.S. President Joe Biden had said earlier this week that agreement had been reached for 20 aid trucks to enter via southern Gaza Strip’s Rafah border point with Egypt.
The flatbed trucks, flying white flags and honking their horns, exited the crossing after checks and headed into Gaza’s southern area which includes the major towns of Rafah and Khan Younis where hundreds of thousands of people made homeless by Israel’s unrelenting air war are sheltering.
However, Palestinian officials were disappointed that fuel supplies were not included and added that the aid was only three percent of what used to get into Gaza before the crisis.
“Excluding the fuel from the humanitarian aid means the lives of patients and injured will remain at risk. Gaza hospitals are running out of the basic requirements to pursue medical interventions,” the Gaza health ministry said.
Israel’s “total siege” of Gaza, launched after the Oct. 7 cross-border attack on southern Israel by militants of the Islamist movement Hamas, has left the enclave’s 2.3 million people running out of food, water, medicines and fuel.
The United Nations said the convoy included life-saving supplies would be received and distributed by the Palestinian Red Crescent, with the consent of Hamas, which rules Gaza.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the opening but echoed a warning from Israel that no aid should end up in Hamas hands.
“We urge all parties to keep the Rafah crossing open to enable the continued movement of aid that is imperative to the welfare of the people of Gaza,” Blinken said in a statement.
“We have been clear: Hamas must not interfere with the provision of this life-saving assistance.”
U.N. officials say at least 100 trucks daily are needed and that any aid operation must be sustainable at scale – a tall order now with Israel carrying out bombardments day and night that have wrecked entire populated districts. Before the outbreak of conflict, an average of about 450 aid trucks were arriving daily in Gaza.
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