Two days after humanitarian deliveries began into Gaza, vital new aid shipments have yet to reach the people of Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade for nearly three months, according to the United Nations.
Experts warn that many of Gaza's two million residents are at high risk of starvation.
Israel pressed ahead with its new military offensive in the region on Tuesday despite growing international criticism, carrying out airstrikes that medical officials said killed at least 85 Palestinians.
Israeli authorities said they had also allowed dozens more trucks carrying humanitarian aid through.
Under pressure, Israel this week agreed to allow a “minimal” amount of aid into the Palestinian territory, limiting imports of food, medicine and fuel in an attempt to put pressure on the militant group Hamas.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that although aid had arrived in Gaza, aid workers had been unable to deliver it to distribution points where it was most needed because the Israeli military had forced them to unload supplies onto separate vehicles and workers had not had enough time.
After the first five trucks arrived in the country on Monday, dozens more began arriving through the Kerem Shalom crossing on Tuesday afternoon, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said.
Cogat, Israel's aid watchdog, said five trucks crossed the border on Monday and 93 on Tuesday. But Mr. Dujarric noted that the United Nations had confirmed that only a few dozen trucks entered Gaza on Tuesday.
The aid included flour for bakeries, food for soup kitchens, baby food and medicine.
However, none of these humanitarian supplies reached the Palestinians, according to the UN.
Mr Dujarric described the new process of securing humanitarian aid into warehouses as “long, complex, confusing and risky”.
The UN humanitarian agency said the first deliveries would prioritise baby food.
Mr Marmorstein said Israel would allow dozens of trucks carrying humanitarian aid through each day – far fewer than the 600 that passed during the last ceasefire, which ended in March.
UN aid agency spokesman Jens Lerke said they had received permission to bring about 100 trucks into Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he made the decision to provide limited aid under pressure from allies who
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
