A recent analysis conducted by the Associated Press reveals that aid shipments to Gaza are significantly below the levels mandated by the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement. The shortfall in aid has had a severe impact on the two million inhabitants of the strip. As per the terms of the October ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, Israel was supposed to permit 600 aid trucks to enter Gaza daily.
However, data from the Israeli military indicates that only an average of 459 trucks per day have entered Gaza since October 12, when aid deliveries resumed, up to the present day. COGAT, the Israeli military body responsible for coordinating aid entry, provided this information.
According to COGAT, approximately 18,000 food aid trucks have been delivered to Gaza since the ceasefire commenced, constituting 70% of all aid entering the territory during that period. Taking into account non-food items like tents and medications, the total number of trucks that have entered Gaza is estimated to be slightly over 25,700, falling short of the 33,600 trucks that were expected by this point under the ceasefire terms.
In response to the analysis, COGAT asserted that the daily truck entry figure exceeds 600 but did not clarify the discrepancy or provide raw data on truck entries. During the conflict, COGAT used to publish daily truck entry figures but ceased this practice when the ceasefire was declared. Rights organizations claim that COGAT’s control over the crossings gives it exclusive access to monitor aid and commercial goods entering Gaza.
The United Nations and aid groups have frequently contested COGAT’s claims regarding the quantity of aid reaching Gaza. The UN database indicates that only 6,545 trucks have been offloaded at Gaza crossings between the ceasefire and December 7, averaging about 113 trucks per day. This figure does not include aid trucks dispatched by organizations operating independently of the UN network.
A document from Hamas reported that a total of 7,333 aid trucks have entered Gaza since the ceasefire. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recently emphasized the urgent need for increased aid for Gaza, citing Israeli restrictions on aid as a hindrance to recovery efforts.
Humanitarian organizations have highlighted the dire consequences of the aid shortage on Gaza’s populace, particularly those forcibly displaced by the conflict. Food scarcity persists in Gaza, exacerbating the aftermath of famine experienced during the war. Malnourished babies have been born to starving mothers, with some infants succumbing in hospitals. Displaced families living in tents are vulnerable to winter elements without adequate supplies to withstand floods and cold temperatures.
UNICEF’s report underscored the overwhelming needs in Gaza, attributing the insufficient humanitarian response to various challenges such as insecurity, customs clearance issues, and restrictions on cargo at the crossings. Israel temporarily halted aid deliveries in response to alleged Hamas violations of the ceasefire, while Hamas accused Israel of breaching the terms through delayed aid flow, continued closure of the Rafah crossing, and ongoing military strikes on Gaza.