The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced the delivery of over 569 tons of humanitarian aid via a temporary sea dock on the coast of Gaza.
However, the United Nations reported that it has not received any aid shipments through this dock in the past two days.
According to a statement from CENTCOM on Sunday, the establishment of the sea dock has facilitated the increased distribution of aid to Palestinian civilians by humanitarian partners.
Meanwhile, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged Israel to lift restrictions on aid entry to Gaza, highlighting the closure of the main route for medical supplies from Egypt through the Rafah crossing.
He stressed that without additional aid, supporting hospitals and saving lives in Gaza would be impossible.
The WHO Director-General also reported that the blockade has impacted six hospitals and nine primary health centers, causing significant drops in daily consultations and vaccinations.
Around 700 patients in critical condition remain trapped in the conflict zone, unable to receive medical care elsewhere.
Senior UN relief official Edem Wosornu emphasized the dire situation in Gaza, pointing out the severe shortages of supplies and fuel needed to provide adequate support to the population amidst the ongoing Israeli military operations.
She noted that the closure of the Rafah crossing had halted the delivery of at least 82,000 metric tons of supplies. Access to the Kerem Shalom crossing is also limited due to ongoing hostilities and logistical challenges.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stated that the suspension of aid through the Rafah crossing is linked to military operations threatening humanitarian efforts in the region.
Since Israel intensified its military actions in Rafah, aid deliveries to southern Gaza have been disrupted, forcing 900,000 people to flee. In northern Gaza, the UN has warned of an imminent famine, with the Erez crossing remaining closed since May 9.
Aid shipments began arriving at the US-established sea dock on Gaza’s coast last Friday amid increasing international pressure on Israel to allow more supplies into the besieged coastal region.
The UN has agreed to help coordinate aid deliveries and distribution at the floating dock, but UNRWA insists that land routes remain the most viable and efficient means to deliver aid to Gaza. Currently, food distribution in Rafah is suspended due to supply shortages and security concerns.
On Friday, 10 trucks loaded with food aid, transported by UN contractors, reached a World Food Program warehouse in Deir al-Balah.
However, only five trucks arrived at the warehouse on Saturday, as Palestinians took the contents of 11 other trucks during the journey.
An unnamed UN official stated that no aid shipments had been received from the dock in the past two days, stressing the need for proper security and logistical arrangements.
The UN also warned of a severe fuel shortage in Gaza, with only 654,000 liters of fuel delivered since May 6, which is just a quarter of the usual fuel allocation.
