Airdrops inefficient, Israel must open gates to Gaza, UNRWA tells CGTN

Israel has been urged to give access to thousands of trucks and provide a more efficient way of delivering aid to help battle the hunger crisis in Gaza by the UN's Palestinian refugee agency. 

Israel carried out an airdrop and announced new measures over the weekend, including daily humanitarian pauses in three areas of Gaza and new safe corridors for aid convoys. The UAE and Jordan also airdropped 27 tons of supplies into Gaza.

On Monday Gaza's health ministry said at least 14 people had died in the past 24 hours of starvation and malnutrition, bringing the war's death toll from hunger to 147, including 89 children, mostly in the last few weeks.

"If the gates are open to the Gaza Strip, we are able in the UN to bring in 500 to 600 trucks, loaded not only with food, but also with the hygiene supplies, with medicine, with medical supplies that will go directly to people who need it most," Juliette Touma, UNRWA communications director, told CGTN Europe.

"We have 6,000 trucks that continue to be stuck in Jordan where I am today (Sunday) and in Egypt. They're loaded with life-saving supplies and we do hope that they will be allowed into Gaza as soon as possible."

UN blamed

Regarding accusations by Israel that the UN and other agencies were to blame and had to get themselves in order, Touma said: "Our trucks are not even allowed to get close to Gaza. It's been five months now, nearly, and we're ready. Our teams inside Gaza are ready. 

"UNRWA is the largest humanitarian organization. We have 10,000 people on the ground who would be taking these supplies and giving it directly to people who need it most, including one million children."

The U.S.- and Israel-backed aid scheme run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has been supplying aid since May but has been heavily criticized after deadly incidents at its distribution centers.    

GHF has accused Hamas of aid theft in defending its distribution model. The UN and other groups have rejected calls by GHF, Israel and the U.S. to cooperate with the foundation, saying it violates international humanitarian principles of neutrality.

'Starving and hungry'

Asked if UNRWA had a strong enough network to overcome the logistical challenges of delivering efficiently to the right people, Touma said: "Absolutely. We have 10,000 people currently in Gaza. They are, by the way, also starving and hungry themselves. They are fainting while they're on duty because they're not able to find any food. 

"They are around, they are ready, and they will bring whatever we are allowed to bring in. They will give it to communities that we are serving wherever they are.

"What we need in Gaza is a ceasefire, a long-term ceasefire, that will finally bring a respite, a deal that will also release the hostages and also bring in a standard flow of supplies to the people of Gaza."