UN: Israel denies or impedes nearly half of Gaza aid despite ceasefire

The United Nations has reported that Israeli authorities are denying or impeding nearly half of all coordinated humanitarian aid movements inside the Gaza Strip, despite a ceasefire agreement that has been in place since October 10. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news conference on Monday that humanitarian operations "continue to face significant impediments" based on data from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Crossing Point Restrictions and High Return Rates

Dujarric detailed specific obstacles, noting that shipments from Jordan are restricted to a single route requiring multiple offloading and reloading points, while consignments from Egypt via the Kerem Shalom crossing face high return rates. He stated that even after a recent improvement, less than 60% of shipments from Egypt could be offloaded at the crossing point during the Feb. 4-10 period, severely limiting the flow of essential supplies.

Delays, Denials, and Ongoing Violations

Regarding coordinated humanitarian movements within Gaza that require clearance from Israeli authorities, Dujarric reported that of nearly 50 such operations between Feb. 6 and 11, just over half were fully facilitated. Five were denied outright, 11 faced major delays, and two were only partially completed. "And just today, we had two more denials," he added. The UN is continuing discussions with Israeli officials to resolve these constraints, which are slowing relief efforts for a population devastated by war.

Context of the Ceasefire and Continued Violence

The aid restrictions come despite a US-backed ceasefire intended to halt Israel's two-year military campaign, which has killed over 72,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, and injured more than 171,000 since October 2023. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, Israeli forces have committed hundreds of ceasefire violations since Oct. 10 through shelling and gunfire, resulting in 603 Palestinian deaths and over 1,600 injuries. The ongoing aid blockade and violations threaten the durability of the truce and the survival of Gaza's civilian population.