Not one week goes by where Hamas and their citizens are complaining about aid coming in. Then when it does come in, Hamas terrorists steal it all and sell it to those who can afford their prices.
In a scene of daily desperation, over a dozen empty flatbed trucks from Gaza rumble through the opening in the massive concrete wall that marks the border. They park on the Israeli side where forklift drivers leap into action, loading massive sacks of flour, boxes of watermelons, mangoes, tomatoes, and onions. Within just 30 minutes, the trucks turn around and drive back into Gaza, their payloads a glimmer of hope for over 2 million Palestinians trapped inside.
Hundreds of trucks loaded with food and water have been stranded on Egypt-Gaza border for weeks due to “israeli” army’s blockade of the Rafah crossing.
The genocidal occupation is deliberately starving Gaza and can not be allowed to control the only door to the outside world.… pic.twitter.com/dC26cBOGXc
— OpenBorders4Aid ⛑️ (@OpenBorders4Aid) July 9, 2024
This bustling activity at Kerem Shalom, the main artery for supplying Gaza with food and medicine, raises hope but also exposes a troubling bottleneck. Despite the frenetic loading, much of this humanitarian aid piles up on the Gaza side, stalled and unable to reach the suffering populace amid the tenth month of conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Israel points fingers at the United Nations agencies responsible for collecting and distributing the aid, accusing them of inefficiency. “The U.N. is not increasing its capabilities,” stated Israeli Col. Elad Goren, part of the military branch handling civilian affairs in Palestinian areas. He insists that Israel’s crossings can move more goods, suggesting that the bottleneck is not on their side.
Hundreds of Zionist Israelis are blocking trucks carrying humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing point.#GazaStraving pic.twitter.com/AtX54zo2SE
— Torah Judaism (@TorahJudaism) January 24, 2024
Food and water are stacked high on pallets at the border, ready to be transported. Yet, these resources often sit for days or even weeks before reaching those in need. The U.N. and aid groups, however, argue that Israel’s responsibility extends beyond the crossing point. They cite ongoing Israeli military operations, severe fuel shortages, and looting by armed Palestinians as critical barriers to aid distribution.
The Gaza side of Kerem Shalom resembles a scene from “Mad Max,” with lawlessness and violence rampant. Trucks are heavily fortified with metal grilles to protect against attacks. Muhannad Hadi of the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs described the chaos: groups of men with sticks waiting to pounce on aid trucks, vehicles battered with broken windshields and mirrors.
The situation in Gaza is dire. Aid workers face immense challenges, including the risk of airstrikes and navigating through a conflict zone. Even with Israel’s pauses in military operations to allow aid movement, the delivery system remains fraught with danger and inefficiency. Some aid organizations have resorted to hiring armed men for protection, although many, like Mercy Corps, refuse to endorse such measures.
Here’s what happens to food aid trucks entering Gaza from Israel!
The convoy starts with 3 UN vehicles 🤣
Followed by the trucks, with dozens of Gazans stealing the food on themBonus points:
A Hamas? vehicle with a guy using his hand gun instead of a horn pic.twitter.com/Rs0TFRf4gK— Hamas Atrocities (@HamasAtrocities) July 15, 2024
Palestinian civilians, enduring critical shortages of food, medicine, and basic goods, continue to move from place to place seeking safety. The U.N. warns of a potential famine, with families surviving on minimal sustenance. The once bustling city of Rafah, a key point for aid entry, has been largely emptied by the conflict.
Despite the grim scenario, there are calls for more funding and a safer environment for aid distribution. The need for approximately 500 truckloads of assistance daily starkly contrasts with the current flow. Israel claims that it can handle this volume, but actual deliveries fall short, hampered by logistical and political hurdles.
Major points
- Over a dozen empty flatbed trucks from Gaza transport aid daily but face bottlenecks at the Kerem Shalom crossing.
- Israel blames U.N. agencies for not distributing aid efficiently, while the U.N. cites Israeli military operations and looting in Gaza as major obstacles.
- The Gaza side of the crossing is chaotic and dangerous, with aid trucks fortified against attacks.
- Palestinian civilians face severe shortages, with the U.N. warning of potential famine.
- Calls for more funding and safer conditions for aid distribution continue as the conflict drags on.
Susan Guglielmo – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
