The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Commissioner General, Philippe Lazzarini, sounded a warning on Monday regarding the current arrangement for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, terming it as a setup destined for failure. The UN official condemned Israel for imposing a “collective punishment” on the inhabitants of the sector in its battle against Hamas.
Lazzarini stressed, “Let’s be clear: The scant number of aid convoys allowed entry through Rafah does not compare to the needs of over two million people stranded in Gaza.” He believed that without a political will to make the aid flow serious and consistent with the unparalleled humanitarian needs in the sector, the current setup is bound to fail.
He pointed out the necessity of having more than one crossing for aid delivery to Gaza, adding that the “Kerem Shalom crossing under Israeli control is the only one equipped to handle a large number of trucks swiftly.”
In a related context, the White House reaffirmed on Monday that the United States does not support the current calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, emphasizing instead the need for “temporary halts” to warfare actions to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The spokesperson for the National Security Council, John Kirby stated, “We don’t think a ceasefire is right at this time,” adding, “We do not support a ceasefire at the moment.”
He suggested that enabling the entry of 100 aid trucks into Gaza daily is a feasible solution.
This situation underscores the larger geopolitical and humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Gaza Strip, a territory that has been under siege and subject to recurring conflicts. The inadequacy of humanitarian aid channels, compounded by political disagreements on the ceasefire, accentuates the dire circumstances faced by the residents of Gaza. The UNRWA’s alarm signifies the urgent call for revisiting and re-strategizing the humanitarian aid delivery mechanisms to Gaza, amidst a backdrop of political hostilities that continue to thwart efforts aimed at alleviating the suffering of over two million besieged inhabitants. The tug of war between various factions and the dire need for humanitarian assistance presents a complex scenario that demands a balanced and immediate response from the global community.
