Israel yesterday announced plans to gradually open access to allow 20 aid trucks a day into Gaza. This relates to an 11-week blockade that cut almost every supply route into the region. The Israeli military carried out a huge escalation in attacks. It’s now worsening on an unprecedented scale, expanding strikes to new areas across all of Gaza.
For over two months, humanitarian aid to Gaza was nearly entirely suspended. This stop added further pressure on already limited resources and exacerbated the crisis for its residents. The blockade, first enforced in mid-August, was put in place as tensions increased between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Israel has agreed to allow a trickle of aid trucks into Gaza. This important ruling will help get critical medicine, food, and other lifesaving supplies to the people that need them.
The Israeli military has stepped up its operations at the same time that the Israeli government has reopened aid access. Reports show that Palestinian strikes are currently hitting up to six different sites in Gaza, increasing the risk to civilians and making collateral damage much more likely. The Israeli government continues to argue that such military actions are absolutely necessary for the country’s national security. They want to fight threats directed against them by extremist networks based in their own territory.
The decision to allow limited aid into Gaza is seen by some as a response to international pressure for humanitarian relief. Numerous NGOs, international organizations, activists, and foreign governments have called for an end to the blockade. They highlight the critical need for food, medicine, and other key supplies to reach the displaced population.
Even as the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to worsen, the conflict is still developing and changing. The confusing, contradictory turnabout on access to humanitarian aid versus military air strikes belies the still ugly state of play in this region. Advocates say that reopening access for aid trucks is a good step towards addressing immediate humanitarian needs, but there are still many concerns. The intensifying airstrikes will make it even more difficult to provide relief.
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