UN: Gaza needs thousands of trucks with food supplies – ceasefire not enough so far

Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has been delivering around 560 tons of food to the Gaza Strip every day, but experts say this is far from enough.

The enclave continues to face an acute food crisis, with some areas even threatened by famine. According to the UN, thousands of trucks carrying aid supplies would have to arrive every week to alleviate this.

WFP spokeswoman Abeer Etefa described the ceasefire as a narrow window of opportunity and pointed out that access to the north of the Gaza Strip is extremely difficult, both because of the closed Zikim and Erez border crossings and because of destroyed roads.

The WFP has not yet begun distributing food in Gaza City itself, where the situation is worst. Although some convoys have brought small amounts of food to the north, the quantities are insufficient.

On Wednesday, 57 trucks reached the southern and central parts of the Gaza Strip – a breakthrough, as the agency explained. However, the goal is to be able to deploy 80 to 100 vehicles daily.

(reuters, lup)