UN Humanitarian Aid Convoy Uses New Land Route To Achieve North Gaza Region

The UN humanitarian aid convoy has entered northern Gaza. (Source: IDF)

JAKARTA - The UN humanitarian aid convoy used a new route to reach the northern Gaza region on Tuesday, the first step in three weeks, as global pressure mounted on Israel to allow more access to Palestinian enclaves amid the threat of starvation.

UN Aid Coordinator for the Palestinian Population of Jamie McGoldrick told Reuters the World Food Program (WFP) convoy had used Israel's military road that stretched along Gaza's border fence to reach the northern region of the enclave, as quoted March 13.

Sufficient food for 25,000 people delivered to Gaza City in the early hours of Tuesday, WFP spokesman Shaza Moghraby said. This is the first WFP shipment to the northern region since February 20 and "proves food delivery by road is possible."

"We hope to increase it, we need regular and consistent access, especially for people in northern Gaza who are on the verge of starvation," Moghraby continued.

Previously, the United Nations had warned that at least 576,000 people in Gaza, a quarter of the region's population, were on the verge of starvation.

The United Nations has pushed Israel for weeks to allow aid convoys, once inspected in the south, to use military roads along Gaza's border fence, McGoldrick said last week. The plan is for trucks to cross into Gaza from Beeri village in Israel.

Meanwhile, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States was working with Israel to increase the amount of aid "via the road through the Slamom brake and through a new crossing, where the first truck entered last night and we needed it."

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the use of military roads by the WFP convoy.

Separately, limited aid by land has reached southern Gaza via the Rafah crossing from Egypt and the Slom Brakes from Israel.

"Aid to save the lives of Palestinians in Gaza will come little by little, if it does," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said yesterday the United Nations and aid groups were "working to provide much-needed assistance, although fighting continues and Israeli bombings, as well as insecurity, frequent border closures and access constraints that continue to hinder safe and efficient aid operations."

It is known that the United States, Jordan and other countries have delivered aid by air to Gaza. Yesterday, ships carrying 200 tons of aid left Cyprus in a pilot project to open a sea corridor to deliver humanitarian aid. Although UN officials welcomed the new aid line, they stressed there was no substitute for land access.