NEW YORK – The United Nations has reported that Israeli authorities denied nearly all humanitarian aid movements through the main Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza over a recent two-day period, severely restricting critical supplies for more than 2.4 million people The blockage exacerbates an already dire humanitarian situation that the UN warns is “far from being over”
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated on Friday that while aid convoys were able to collect fuel, no other supplies were permitted to enter Gaza from the crossing, even after being offloaded “Nearly all humanitarian movements to the Kerem Shalom crossings were denied,” Dujarric confirmed According to a report by Anadolu Agency, Kerem Shalom is currently the only operational crossing for aid, as the Rafah and Zikim crossings have remained closed since late February
The interruption compounds a long-term decline in aid deliveries. The Director General of the Government Media Office in Gaza stated that aid entering the Strip in recent weeks represented only about 10 percent of the enclave’s actual humanitarian needs He noted that of 6,000 aid trucks expected to enter under recent understandings, only 640 had been received
This sharp reduction in aid flow comes amid escalating warnings from humanitarian organizations about the risk of famine and widespread malnutrition, particularly among children UN agencies and aid groups have consistently called for immediate, safe, and unimpeded humanitarian access to all parts of the Gaza Strip to avert a further catastrophe The situation on the ground remains critical, with a severe shortage of food, water, medicine, and shelter for the besieged population
Yasir Rai
