Israeli authorities have reportedly denied a significant portion of humanitarian aid missions to Gaza in March, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The OCHA stated that 30% of aid missions to northern Gaza and 10% to southern Gaza were denied by Israeli authorities last month.
The OCHA further highlighted that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers frequently obstructed aid convoys at checkpoints, leading to delays, denials, searches, detentions, and even instances of violence against aid convoys and waiting crowds.
The aid missions that faced obstacles included food distributions, fuel deliveries, movement of emergency medical teams, supply deliveries to hospitals, and support for water, sanitation, and hygiene activities, as per the UN agency.
Providing a detailed breakdown, the OCHA revealed that since March 1, out of 60 aid missions to northern Gaza, only 29 were facilitated by Israeli authorities, while 18 were denied, and 13 were postponed or withdrawn.
It is important to note that the UN and other humanitarian agencies have consistently raised concerns about the insufficient aid reaching Gaza, warning of a potential famine crisis. While Israel has stated that there is no limit to the amount of aid that can be brought into Gaza, the restricted land entry points and stringent inspections pose challenges.
As a response to the aid delivery challenges, some international actors have explored alternative methods such as opening maritime routes or conducting air drops. However, these measures are deemed insufficient to meet the urgent needs of the population in Gaza.
