Palestine Country Director for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Antoine Renard announced on Friday that the UN is prepared to deliver aid to Gaza following a ceasefire-hostage deal agreed upon by Hamas and Israel. The deal stipulates that humanitarian aid into Gaza will be increased to 600 trucks per day.
Renard emphasized the importance of opening all crossings to facilitate aid delivery, stating that the UN has the necessary resources and logistics in place through various corridors, including Egypt, Ashdod in Israel, and Amman. He expressed readiness to meet the needs of the people in Gaza as the ceasefire takes effect.
However, several aid entry points into Gaza have been closed by Israeli authorities, including the Rafah crossing with Egypt, which has been shut down since May 2024 when Israel took control of it. This closure has significantly impacted the flow of aid into Gaza, with limited access through other entry points.
Recent data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed that only 614 truckloads of aid entered Gaza from January 1 to January 13. COGAT, the Israeli agency responsible for aid coordination, reported that 335 aid trucks entered Gaza through the Kerem Shalom and Erez crossings on Thursday.
Renard described the ceasefire-hostage deal as a 'message of hope' for the people of Gaza and urged Israel to open all aid point crossings. He also called on international donors to support the humanitarian efforts in Gaza. Renard highlighted that one of the major challenges to aid distribution in the region has been looting by criminal groups, emphasizing the need for cooperation from the society in Gaza.
