UN reports more than 1,000 aid packages have entered Gaza
United Nations Headquarters (ANTARA) - Despite significant delays at a new Israeli checkpoint, aid partners managed to collect more than 1,000 packages of essential supplies for Gaza in a single day, the United Nations humanitarian agency revealed on Wednesday (3/6).
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that the packages collected at the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing on Tuesday (2/6) included hygiene kits, tarpaulins, blankets, and medicines.
OCHA noted that convoys travelling to Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem to collect humanitarian cargo through the newly established checkpoint in southern Gaza are still facing significant delays.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), congestion at the new checkpoint prevented six fuel trucks from reaching Kerem Shalom, which significantly reduced the volume of fuel that could be collected from the crossing,” OCHA explained.
“A stable fuel supply is vital to ensure that hospitals, desalination plants, and other life-sustaining services remain operational amidst the absence of a functioning electricity grid,” the OCHA statement added.
The Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing serves as the sole access point for the delivery of humanitarian cargo into Gaza.
In the health sector, OCHA detailed that during the final two weeks of May, nearly 100 patients and over 130 caregivers were evacuated from Gaza via the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem and Rafah crossings, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners.
However, OCHA reported that thousands of patients, many of whom suffer from life-altering injuries, still require specialised medical treatment that is unavailable in Gaza. Referral pathways to medical facilities in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, remain blocked by Israeli authorities.
“An increase in healthcare services in Gaza is urgently needed, and such efforts require facilitating the entry of more crucial medical equipment and supplies,” said OCHA.
Humanitarian partners focused on water management reported that overall water production in Gaza decreased by approximately 20 per cent in May compared to the previous two months, primarily due to a shortage of chemicals and spare parts.
OCHA has once again called for the sustained entry of spare parts, pumps, pipes, engine oil, and water treatment chemicals to ensure that water and other crucial services can reach those in need throughout Gaza.