As the ceasefire that took effect on Sunday, January 19, enters its third day, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported a significant increase in vital humanitarian aid flowing into the Gaza enclave, following 15 months of intense Israeli airstrikes. OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke noted that aid trucks began arriving in Gaza mere minutes after the ceasefire commenced on Sunday. “Thus far, during these initial two days of aid deliveries, there have been no incidents of looting or assaults on humanitarian workers,” Laerke stated.
On Monday, over 900 trucks carrying aid reached the Gaza Strip, coinciding with the ongoing truce between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, as confirmed by Israeli authorities and the ceasefire’s mediators, including the US, Qatar, and Egypt. During the height of the conflict, triggered by Hamas’s attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, the volume of aid reaching Gaza had dwindled to around 50 trucks daily.
Laerke expressed optimism, stating, “Finally, we are witnessing aid entering at a substantial scale. Additionally, more hostages have been released, allowing for family reunifications, and women and minors have been freed from detention. This represents a significant, albeit fragile, hope; it is crucial that this agreement remains intact.”
Immediate necessities for the people of Gaza include securing food supplies, reopening bakeries, accessing healthcare, replenishing hospital resources, repairing water infrastructure, providing shelter, and reuniting families, according to Laerke’s comments to reporters in Geneva. “While we have made efforts throughout, they have not been at the scale required, and we aspire to enhance our operations now,” he remarked.
The UN has consistently emphasized that the entire population of Gaza, which exceeds two million, relies on these essential supplies. Notably, children, who constitute nearly half of Gaza’s population, are particularly vulnerable, with many subsisting on merely one meal a day, OCHA reported in a recent update. “We must— and we will—maximize our delivery through this opportunity. Hunger is widespread, homelessness is prevalent; diseases and injuries are rampant. There are children who have been separated from their families, and a pervasive psychological trauma looms over Gaza that requires urgent attention.”
The health crisis in Gaza remains critical, with the UN World Health Organization (WHO) indicating that half of the hospitals are non-operational, while others function only partially, and most healthcare facilities have suffered significant damage. WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic emphasized the need for swift action to restore health services, particularly focusing on emergency care, maternal and child health, among other critical areas.
He also highlighted the urgent need to evacuate 12,000 patients requiring medical attention outside Gaza. “We must ensure these individuals receive the medical care they need,” he noted. “We are in discussions with 25,000 individuals who have sustained life-altering injuries; these individuals require rehabilitation services that are currently unavailable.”
In an interview with UN News on Tuesday, the head of communications for the UN agency assisting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reaffirmed their commitment to remaining in Gaza and continuing their delivery of aid.
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