In a much-needed relief effort, UN humanitarian aid reached Gaza for the first time in months, bringing hope amid rising famine risks. In a nighttime operation, nearly 90 truckloads loaded with essential supplies were moved, including over 500 pallets of nutrition goods that have been safely offloaded at a UNICEF warehouse in Deir al-Balah. These include ready-to-use therapeutic foods and lipid-based nutritional supplements that are now being repackaged for delivery across numerous distribution points. 😊
Local bakeries, backed by the World Food Programme, have restarted bread production in southern and central Gaza, providing freshly baked bread through community kitchens. This is a positive sign for communities that have been hit hard after almost 80 days without humanitarian assistance.
However, the aid is still only a small fraction of what is needed for Gaza's 2.1 million residents. Basic necessities like fresh food, hygiene items, water purification agents, and fuel to power hospitals remain in short supply. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) urged that Israeli authorities facilitate the movement of additional humanitarian convoys, including commercial trucking to help supply markets with fresh fruits and vegetables.
Despite the breakthrough, nearly 500,000 people in Gaza are at risk of starvation, underscoring the urgent need for more comprehensive, sustained support as the region struggles against an ongoing crisis.
Reference(s):
UN aid reaches Gaza for first time in months amid famine risk
cgtn.com
