UN Highlights Significant Hurdles in Providing Aid to Gaza

(UnitedHeadlines.com) – As a ship loaded with humanitarian aid arrived in Gaza on March 15, U.N. relief agencies spoke out about the difficulties faced in getting help to the people in the region.

The latest shipment of 200 tons of humanitarian supplies, food, and water arrived in Gaza from Cyprus on March 15 via a new sea route as officials seek to ease the humanitarian crisis in the region brought on by the war between Israel and Hamas. The shipment was arranged by the charity World Central Kitchen, founded by celebrity chef José Andrés. Once the first shipment of supplies is distributed, a second ship is expected to set sail for the region.

Following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas in Israel and the beginning of Israel’s air and ground attack on the region, aid groups have sought to get humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza. Due to military restrictions and the ongoing hostilities, land deliveries became almost impossible, with few trucks able to enter the region, causing a worsening humanitarian crisis. According to the United Nations, Israel’s offensive has left a quarter of Gaza’s population starving and driven most of its 2.3 million people from their homes.

Getting aid to the people of Gaza has faced obstacles, with accusations of attacks from both sides of the conflict. The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza previously accused Israeli forces of attacking Palestinians who were waiting at a distribution point for an aid convoy. However, the Israeli military stated that it was Palestinian gunmen who opened fire on the crowd.

Since the beginning of the conflict, Israel has increasingly faced pressure to allow more aid into Gaza, with relief agencies and officials seeking new ways to get help to the people there. In northern Gaza, supplies are being airdropped in by the United States and other countries. The U.S. has also announced it plans to construct a pier to allow aid into Gaza. However, despite the new ways of delivering aid to the region, relief organizations continue to say that the sea shipments and airdrops are less efficient than truck deliveries, which had been at about 500 a day before the Oct. 7 attack.