Recent news reports indicate a worrying situation in the Gaza Strip, where UN aid agencies have warned of “pockets of famine”. Israeli bombing has resulted in the displacement of thousands of people who now find themselves with little or no access to food.
In a joint statement, the World Food Program, UNICEF and the World Health Organization stressed the need to open new entry routes into Gaza in order to deliver humanitarian supplies. Although the UN does not directly accuse Israel of hindering access to Gaza, the agencies say too few trucks are allowed through border controls each day.
They therefore call for fewer restrictions on the movement of humanitarian workers and guarantees of the security of those who access and distribute aid.
The situation is particularly serious in northern Gaza, where around 300,000 people still live among the ruins of buildings destroyed by Israeli strikes. The delivery of aid to these people is hampered by the ongoing fighting.
Last month, only a quarter of aid convoys reached their destination in northern Gaza because Israeli authorities prevented most of them. A glaring and urgent lack of access to humanitarian aid is therefore felt in the region.
In this context, it is encouraging to see that Qatar and France managed to negotiate an agreement with Israel and Hamas to deliver emergency medicines to 45 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for humanitarian and medical aid for the the most vulnerable civilians in the territory. The aid is expected to leave Qatar for Egypt, before being transported through the Rafah border crossing to Gaza.
This news is a glimmer of hope in a dire situation, but it is crucial that more efforts are made to address the pressing humanitarian needs in Gaza. International collaboration is needed to ensure continued access to food, medical and humanitarian assistance, as well as to guarantee the safety of those providing it. It is time to act and support efforts to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza.