The delivery, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, saw enough food to sustain 25,000 people transported to Gaza City
In response to mounting pressure for increased access to the Gaza Strip, the United Nations (UN) successfully employed a new land route from Israel to deliver vital food supplies to northern Gaza for the first time in three weeks.
According to Jamie McGoldrick, the UN aid coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, a convoy from the World Food Programme (WFP) utilized an Israeli military road running alongside the Gaza border fence to reach the northern part of the enclave.
Shaza Moghraby, spokesperson for the WFP, emphasized the significance of this delivery, highlighting that it was the first such shipment to the north since February 20. Moghraby expressed optimism about the potential for scaling up these efforts, emphasizing the urgent need for regular and consistent access to address the looming famine crisis in northern Gaza.
The UN has issued dire warnings, indicating that approximately 576,000 individuals in Gaza, constituting a quarter of the population, are teetering on the brink of famine.
The initiative comes amidst growing international pressure, with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan stating earlier that the United States is actively collaborating with Israel to bolster aid efforts.
Sullivan highlighted plans to increase aid deliveries “by ground both through Kerem Shalom and through a new crossing,” noting the successful entry of the first trucks through the new crossing the previous night.
While limited aid has been reaching southern Gaza via the Rafah crossing from Egypt and Kerem Shalom from Israel, the utilization of this new land route presents a crucial step towards addressing the urgent humanitarian needs of the region.
