After recording deaths due to malnutrition and amid rising cries of anger from the residents of North Gaza due to food scarcity, it seems that Israel will allow, for the first time since the outbreak of war in the sector on October 7th, the entry of aid.
Israeli sources informed that Israel will permit the direct entry of humanitarian aid into North Gaza for the first time, not via the southern gate of the sector through which a very limited flow of aid was allowed to the northern areas, as reported by the “Broadcasting Authority.”
It was clarified that the first aid convoys crossing into the North would enter today, Monday.
According to the planned scheme, trucks loaded with humanitarian aid will undergo a security inspection by the Israeli army at the Kerem Shalom or Al-Ouja “Nitzana” crossings, after which they will enter Gaza in the humanitarian corridor area in the North.
Local Officials:
Then, the aid will be transferred to displacement centers in the Al-Zaytoun area by local officials not disclosed by Israel.
However, sources reported that the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Major General Ghassan Alyan, contacted local officials in North Gaza, who expressed their agreement to take responsibility for the area as an alternative to Hamas, and to deliver supplies to the residents.
This step came after American pressure due to the difficult conditions in the North and the significant shortage of food, water, and medicine alike.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinians gathered among the ruins of Gaza City, waiting for the arrival of trucks loaded with aid amid a hunger crisis.
It is noted that UNRWA, the UN agency that provides aid to the residents of Gaza, had previously warned of catastrophic conditions in all areas of Gaza, especially in the North.
It also announced that it had been unable to deliver food aid to North Gaza for more than a month.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached critical levels since the conflict escalation on October 7, 2023. The healthcare system is under severe strain, with hospitals facing catastrophic shortages of medical supplies, power outages, and overcrowding due to the high number of casualties. The World Health Organization has documented numerous attacks on healthcare facilities and personnel, significantly hampering the delivery of urgent medical care. Pregnant women and newborns are among those at immediate risk due to the lack of access to healthcare facilities and electricity shortages affecting hospital operations.
The forced relocation of over a million residents from northern to southern Gaza has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, with the UN warning of devastating consequences. The move has made it nearly impossible for vulnerable hospital patients to be evacuated safely. The lack of adequate sanitation has led to widespread open-air defecation, raising fears of disease outbreaks. The relocation order has been described as a “death sentence” for many, highlighting the dire need for humanitarian access and the protection of civilians.
Food and water scarcity has worsened, with nearly half a million people unable to access food rations due to the closure of distribution centers. The destruction of agricultural land and livestock, along with the closure of key commercial crossings, has severely disrupted food supplies. Only a fraction of the necessary fuel and relief items have been entering Gaza, with aid operations severely impeded by the conflict. The lack of drinking water is a critical issue, with families desperately searching for water amidst widespread shortages.