Relief efforts hampered despite ceasefire, Palestinians starve

Despite a ceasefire in Gaza, Israel is blocking aid from reaching the enclave. As a result, Gaza is facing a severe food crisis and Palestinians are suffering from hunger and suffering. The United Nations says that limited border openings have created major obstacles to aid deliveries. The world body is now trying to reach the Palestinians against the clock, Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday (November 5).
The report said that UN aid agencies are racing against time to get humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned that continued Israeli restrictions were creating major obstacles to aid deliveries.
At a news briefing on Tuesday, agency spokesman Abir Ittefa said that aid deliveries to Gaza had increased slightly since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began last month. However, the limited border openings meant that the amount of aid was still too small.
“We need full support. We need to get help quickly. We are racing against time. Winter is coming, but people are still hungry.” The WFP said it was operating food distribution operations in 44 locations across Gaza and had provided food assistance to more than a million people since the ceasefire began on October 10.
However, the agency said the amount of food entering Gaza was not sufficient. It is still particularly difficult to reach northern Gaza, where the global monitoring group officially declared a famine last August.
“The entrance to northern Gaza is still closed, so our aid convoys have to take a long and dangerous route south. All border crossings need to be open for effective aid distribution, especially those in the north,” Ittefa said.
Meanwhile, thousands of Palestinians have returned to their homes in northern Gaza in recent weeks after Israeli forces withdrew from the “Yellow Line” following the ceasefire. But most have returned and their homes and surrounding areas have been razed to the ground. Many are still living in tents and makeshift shelters.
The United Nations and other organizations have also called on Israel to allow more aid into Gaza under the terms of the ceasefire. Their concerns have grown as the harsh winter approaches.
The Gaza government information office reported that 3,203 commercial and relief trucks entered Gaza between October 10 and 31. This means that an average of 145 trucks entered Gaza each day. This is despite the ceasefire agreement allowing 600 trucks to enter Gaza each day.
In the meantime, Israeli forces have continued to bombard Gaza. An Israeli quadcopter strike in the Tufa area of ​​Gaza City yesterday killed one person and wounded another. A local hospital also reported that one person was killed by army fire in Jabalia, northern Gaza. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 240 people have been killed and 607 injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire went into effect.