Palestinians refute US, Israeli claims about increase in aid flow into besieged Gaza

By Mohamed Majid

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – Gaza’s government media office on Wednesday dismissed US and Israeli claims about an increase in humanitarian aid flow into the besieged enclave.

Some 4,887 aid trucks entered Gaza, including 1,166 from Rafah crossing with Egypt and 3,721 from Kerem Shalom terminal with Israel, Salama Marouf, head of the media office, said in a statement.

“Only 419 aid trucks were allowed into northern Gaza,” he added.

According to Marouf, around 163 aid trucks enter the besieged enclave daily, a figure that is significantly lower than the 500 aid trucks needed to avert a humanitarian crisis in the strip.

“This figure is significantly lower than the daily needs of our people, especially the residents of northern Gaza,” he added.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Wednesday of an improvement in the aid flow into the Gaza Strip. Israeli and US estimates put the number of aid trucks entering the enclave daily at 300-400 trucks.

Last month, the Israeli government temporarily approved the entry of very limited aid into Gaza through the Ashdod port and the Erez land crossing and an increase in Jordanian aid through the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Israel has waged a relentless offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas, which killed some 1,200 people.

More than 34,500 Palestinians have since been killed and over 76,000 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities. Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

More than six months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in January issued an interim ruling that ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul