UN Says Israel Rejects All 6 Movements Of Humanitarian Aid To Gaza

Illustration of war areas (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The United Nations says Israel has rejected all six humanitarian aid movements coordinated by the United Nations for Gaza, which further exacerbated the already dire situation for civilians in the trapped territory.

"As a occupation force, Israel must approve and facilitate much-needed assistance," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric quoting Antara.

"Since last week, about 900 trucks have been submitted for Israeli approval, and 800 have been approved, but only a few more than 500 can be unloaded on the Israeli side of Kareem SALom," he said.

"And even fewer have made it to the Palestinian side, where we and our partners have only been able to collect a few over 200 trucks, limited by unsafe situations and limited access," he continued.

He also noted that fewer Palestinian trucks were needed to pick up the cargo, so that the goods were not carried out one by one with trucks dismantled on the Israeli side.

Citing the United Nations Humanitarian Affairs Coordination Office (OCHA), Dujarric reiterated that assistance must flow in large quantities through various crossings to Gaza.

Dujarric stressed that Israel had blocked the UN's efforts to distribute the aid.

Israel's authorities also continue to reject our efforts to coordinate the movement of humanitarian aid within Gaza, including one attempt today to take fuel from Rafah. Overall, all six coordinated movements were rejected by Israel against the United Nations today," he said.

When asked if Israel was deliberately blocking aid, Dujarric replied: 'You have to ask them what their motivation is, but I can say they don't make it easy for us at all.'

He also warned that the refugees were 'lack of tents, they lacked tarpaulins, they lacked food, they lacked water, and they lacked many other basic necessities.'