No new arrival of aid trucks via floating pier in Gaza since Saturday: UN

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - A UN official said Tuesday that humanitarian assistance has not been carried via a temporary pier in the Gaza Strip since Saturday after it became operational May 17.

"There's been no new arrival of trucks on the floating pier since Saturday," Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced May 17 that trucks carrying humanitarian aid began moving ashore via a temporary pier.

It said Monday that more than 569 metric tons had been delivered across the pier since it became operational.

"On Friday, about there were 10 trucks that made it. On Saturday, there were 16 trucks that left the floating pier, but 11 of those trucks never made it to the warehouse. Crowds had stopped the trucks at various points along the way,” Dujarric said when asked if the aid from the trucks was delivered to warehouses or to anybody on land.

The trucks were traveling through areas where there had been no aid, he said.

"I think people feared that they would never see aid. They grabbed what they could. So, only five of the 16 trucks made it to the warehouse," he added.

Asked who was responsible for security for the trucks, Dujarric said: "We don't have any armed security. We operate separately obviously from the Israeli Defense Forces.

"So, part of it is the work that we do with various community groups and humanitarian partners so that people understand where these trucks are coming from and where they're going and what they're being used for," he said.

Stressing that aid delivery into Gaza is "not enough," Dujarric reiterated that the UN has urged Israel to reopen all the crossings for delivery.

Turning to the Israeli army's raid in the city of Jenin in the northern occupied West Bank early Tuesday, Dujarric said the UN has expressed "very deep concern" for the violence that Palestinian civilians are subjected to in the occupied West Bank.