UN Announces 10,000 Aid Trucks Have Entered Gaza Since Ceasefire Began
The United Nations’ top humanitarian official, Tom Fletcher, has announced that thousands of aid trucks carrying essential supplies have entered Gaza since the ceasefire began. The trucks are delivering life-saving food, medicine, and tents to residents who have endured over 15 months of continuous Israeli attacks.
Fletcher made his remarks while preparing to join an aid convoy heading into northern Gaza. He also held “practical discussions” in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem with Israeli authorities, including COGAT—the agency responsible for approving aid deliveries to Gaza and the West Bank—and the Israeli Foreign Ministry, to ensure that UN humanitarian assistance continues at scale.
Returning to Devastation
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 500,000 people have returned to northern Gaza since the ceasefire began. In desperate conditions, many are using shovels to clear the rubble of their former homes. Access to food, water, sanitation, healthcare, and shelter remains critically inadequate, reports the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) has reported receiving 63 trucks filled with medical supplies from aid partners, which have helped replenish its three warehouses in Gaza. Additionally, over 100 injured and sick individuals have been evacuated to Egypt for urgent medical treatment. OCHA also noted that primary and secondary healthcare services are being provided throughout the region, with five ambulances entering Gaza on Tuesday to enhance emergency response efforts.
Boosting Food Supplies
Food aid efforts have expanded, with 22 bakeries supported by the World Food Programme (WFP) now operational across Gaza. Additionally, WFP has provided nutrient supplements to over 80,000 children and pregnant or breastfeeding women, while UNICEF continues to distribute nutrition support for infants.
Since the ceasefire took effect, humanitarian partners have screened over 30,000 children under the age of five for malnutrition, identifying 1,150 cases of acute malnutrition, including 230 severe cases.
To support agricultural livelihoods, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has distributed nearly 100 metric tons of animal feed to aid herders in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, benefiting hundreds of agricultural workers.
Educational efforts are also ongoing, with three new temporary learning spaces recently established in Gaza, Rafah, and Khan Younis governorates, providing schooling to 200 children.
Calls for a Lasting Ceasefire
As humanitarian efforts continue, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has reiterated his calls for a permanent ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza. He strongly opposed any suggestion that Gazans should be displaced from their homeland, emphasizing the importance of adhering to international law.
“In the search for solutions, we must not make the problem worse,” Guterres stated. “Ethnic cleansing must be avoided at all costs. We must reaffirm our commitment to a two-state solution.”
Backing the Secretary-General’s stance, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk emphasized that any forced transfer or deportation of people is strictly prohibited under international law.
As the humanitarian situation remains critical, the UN continues to press for sustained aid deliveries and a long-term solution to the crisis.
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