An important land crossing to Loop was closed after a Hamas rocket attack and another by a israeli raid. And only a minimal flow of aid enters through a third crossing that was opened just a few weeks ago.
The new developments threaten to worsen the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, more than seven months after the Israeli attack in response to the Hamas attack on October 7.
The head of the United Nations food agency has said that northern Gaza is already experiencing a “unleashed famine” and experts report that almost all of the territory’s 2.3 million Palestinians face severe hunger. The Israeli offensive has caused widespread devastation and made domestic food production almost impossible, leaving Gaza completely dependent on aid groups for food, medicine and basic goods.
Aid workers report that airdrops and plans to deliver aid by sea cannot replace land deliveries. Here’s a look at the state of the Gaza crossings:
Kerem Shalom
The Kerem Shalom crossing, in the southeast corner of Gaza, is the only one designed to handle large cargo deliveries. It was closed on Sunday after a Hamas rocket attack that killed four Israeli soldiers.
Cogat
The Israeli military body in charge of Palestinian civil affairs says the crossing reopened on Wednesday and released a video showing trucks entering from the Israeli side.
But the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the main aid provider in Gaza, says that in fact no aid has entered Gaza through Kerem Shalom due to the situation. security on the Palestinian side.
Foreign aid typically arrives in trucks from the Israeli side, is unloaded in a central area and then picked up by Palestinian drivers who take it to distribution points.
Hamas has continued to launch rockets and mortar shells at Israeli troops stationed near the crossing, including an attack on Wednesday after it reopened, and Israel periodically launches airstrikes in and around the nearby city of Rafah.
Rafah
An Israeli tank brigade captured the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt on Tuesday, forcing it to close. Israel said the limited raid was part of its efforts to dismantle Hamas’ military and governance capabilities.
Rafah is the main entry point for fuel needed for vehicles and generators that are essential for humanitarian efforts. The United Nations says it is already rationing fuel and does not have enough to sustain its operations in Gaza for more than a few days.
Rafah is also the only crossing that people can use to enter or leave Gaza. Palestinian officials say dozens of patients who were due to travel for medical treatment have been stranded.
It is not yet clear how long Israel plans to maintain control of the crossing or when it might reopen.
Erez
Israel recently began allowing the United Nations World Food Program to deliver aid through the Erez crossing in northern Gaza, which suffered widespread devastation in the early months of the war and has been largely isolated by forces. Israelis.
The United Nations food agency says there is a famine in northern Gaza, infectious diseases are spreading rapidly and about 90% of children have fallen ill. Some 300,000 Palestinians remained in northern Gaza after Israel ordered the evacuation of the entire region in October.
The Erez crossing, which in the past was limited to pedestrian traffic, has been converted into a freight passageway.
COGAT said 60 aid trucks entered the north on Tuesday.
Air and sea
Jordan, the United States and other nations began airdropping aid to Gaza earlier this year, but aid agencies describe that as a costly and desperate effort that cannot meet growing needs.
The United States also completed construction of a floating dock and access road for shipping aid by sea, but has not yet installed them on the Gaza coast due to bad weather. Despite this, a ship loaded with American aid and bound for the new dock left Cyprus on Thursday.
Officials report that they expect about 90 articulated aid trucks per day initially and that the number will quickly rise to about 150 per day.
The United Nations Palestine Refugee Agency says an average of more than 250 articulated trucks were entering Gaza through Rafah and Kerem Shalom before the incursion and rocket attack.
Before the war, about 500 trucks entered Gaza through the two southern crossings.
Source: Gestion
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