Twenty United Nations humanitarian aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning, marking the first humanitarian aid delivery in two weeks since a surprise attack by Hamas militants killed more than 1,000 civilians in Israel.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) released a joint statement on Saturday regarding ” the first, but limited, shipment of life-saving humanitarian aid from the United Nations and the Egyptian Red Crescent.”
“It will provide an urgently needed lifeline for some of the hundreds of thousands of civilians, mostly women and children, who have been cut off from water, food, medicine, fuel and other basic necessities. But it is only a small start and far from enough,” the organizations said in a statement, adding that “more than 1.6 million people in Gaza are in critical need of humanitarian assistance.”
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In a separate statement on Saturday, UNICEF noted that the organization had provided approximately 22,000 people with enough drinking water (44,000 bottles) for one day.
CNN reported that aid vehicles entered through the Rafah crossing on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip during the brief time it was open for the first time since the October 7 attack.
According to media information, 13 humanitarian aid trucks were transporting medicines and medical supplies, five were transporting food, and the remaining two were carrying water. However, none carried fuel.
In its only statement, UNICEF wrote that “if we cannot consistently provide humanitarian supplies, we face the real threat of life-threatening disease outbreaks.”
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A joint statement by five aid organizations echoed the same sentiment: “With so much of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure damaged or destroyed in nearly two weeks of sustained bombardment, including shelters, health facilities, water, sanitation and electrical systems, time is running out before death rates can skyrocket due to disease outbreaks and a lack of health facilities.”
US President Joe Biden issued a statement from the White House on Saturday in which he said that “the opening of this essential supply route is the result of several days of diplomatic engagement at the highest levels.”
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According to the statement, Biden “has made it clear since the beginning of this crisis — both in my public statements and in private conversations — that humanitarian assistance is a critical and urgent need that must be acted upon, and I express my deep personal gratitude for the leadership of Egyptian President Al-Sisi, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and the United Nations to allow this aid to continue.”
“The United States remains committed to ensuring that civilians in Gaza continue to have access to food, water, medical care and other assistance, without diversion by Hamas,” Biden’s statement continued. “We will continue to work with all parties to keep the Rafah crossing operational to allow the continued movement of aid that is imperative for the well-being of the people of Gaza, and to continue working to protect civilians, in accordance with obligations under international humanitarian law.”
The statement concluded: “We also continue to work around the clock, in partnership with Egypt and Israel, to allow US citizens and their immediate family members to safely exit Gaza and travel through Egypt to their final destinations.”
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