The United Nations has received approval to send approximately 100 aid trucks into the besieged Gaza Strip, marking the first significant humanitarian entry in more than two months, following international outcry over Israel’s complete blockade of the territory.
Speaking in Geneva on Tuesday, Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), confirmed the development.
“We have requested and received approval of more trucks to enter today, many more than were approved yesterday,” Laerke said. “The number is around 100.”
“We expect, of course, with that approval, many of them, hopefully all of them, to cross today to a point where they can be picked up and get further into the Gaza Strip for distribution.”
Severe Shortages Amid Intensifying Offensive
The announcement comes amid dire shortages of food, water, and medical supplies in Gaza. Monday saw a limited resumption of aid access, with nine trucks allowed to enter the enclave — a volume the UN described as “a drop in the ocean” compared to the scale of humanitarian need.
Five of those trucks crossed via the Kerem Shalom crossing, and the UN has received clearance to retrieve and distribute them. Laerke added that further trucks are expected to follow the same route for delivery deeper into the territory.
“We do have the clearance today to pick them up and pick up other trucks that may enter that process whereby they kind of flow through the Kerem Shalom crossing,” he explained.
Background: Blockade and Military Offensive
Israel imposed a full blockade on Gaza on March 2, days before it resumed military operations following a temporary ceasefire. The offensive, which Israel says targets Hamas, has severely restricted humanitarian access, triggering worsening conditions for over two million people trapped in the enclave.
Images emerging from Gaza show displaced residents queuing for water and food from makeshift kitchens amid widespread infrastructure collapse.
As pressure mounts on all sides to address the humanitarian catastrophe, aid organizations continue to call for unhindered and sustained access to reach civilians affected by the conflict.
