Humanitarian agencies have warned that aid remains critically scarce in Gaza one week into the ceasefire, as Israel delays the entry of food convoys. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) reported bringing about 560 tonnes of food per day on average into Gaza since the truce began, still below what is needed.
WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa said: 'We’re still below what we need, but we’re getting there... The ceasefire has opened a narrow window of opportunity, and WFP is moving very quickly and swiftly to scale up food assistance.' However, stringent restrictions on what can be transported mean some convoys are forced to turn back.
While 600 trucks are meant to enter Gaza each day, fewer than half that number make it through. Drivers often wait hours for clearance, with long delays leaving many stranded in the heat. Israel has shut down entry and exit routes during the war, largely blocking food and medicine, causing famine in parts of Gaza.
The UN urged the opening of all crossing points. The WFP has five distribution points running but aims to reach 145 to 'flood Gaza with food'. Distribution in Gaza City has not begun due to the continued closure of the Zikim and Erez crossings to the north, where the crisis is most acute. Convoys face damaged or blocked roads from the south.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that infectious diseases are 'spiralling out of control', with only 13 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals even partially functioning. WHO regional director Hanan Balkhy cited meningitis, diarrhoea, and respiratory illnesses as a 'mammoth amount of work'. Meanwhile, Israel and Hamas continue to trade blame over breaches of the truce.
