Gaza Aid Stalls at Border as Famine Looms, UN Warns

Despite Israel's claim allowing 93 aid trucks carrying essentials like flour, baby food, and medical supplies into Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing on Tuesday, the UN reports no aid has reached civilians. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric explained that teams waited hours for Israeli clearance to access the area but couldn’t transfer supplies to warehouses due to complex procedures requiring offloading and reloading on the Palestinian side.
Israel’s decision to permit limited food entry after an 11-week blockade comes amid global warnings of an impending famine. UN agencies estimate that 600 trucks daily are needed to address Gaza’s dire humanitarian crisis, with the current influx labeled “a drop in the ocean.” UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned that 14,000 babies face death from severe malnutrition without urgent aid, though a UNOCHA clarification noted the 14,100 cases are projected over a year, not 48 hours. The Hamas-run health ministry reported 57 child deaths from malnutrition in the past 11 weeks.
International pressure is mounting. The UK, France, and Canada demanded Israel halt military operations and allow unrestricted aid, with the UK suspending trade talks and sanctioning Israeli settlers, calling Israel’s actions “morally unjustifiable.” The EU is reviewing its trade agreement with Israel. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the aid flow but acknowledged its insufficiency.
The crisis stems from Israel’s military response to Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack, which killed 1,200 and took 251 hostages. Gaza’s health ministry reports 53,475 deaths, including 3,340 since the recent offensive. Meanwhile, Hamas-run Civil Defence noted 15 deaths, including a child, in Wednesday’s airstrikes.