News, situation in Gaza and more

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Friday that Gaza faces a “difficult” food situation with only over 300 aid trucks having entered the Strip since Israel began its attack on Rafah.

“More than 3,000 metric tons of food in main warehouses has become inaccessible to food security partners due to ongoing hostilities,” OCHA said, adding that “limited amounts of supplies have entered Gaza since 6 May and continue to continue.” “largely insufficient to meet growing needs.”

Israeli forces took control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on May 7, disrupting aid access through the crossing.

The situation in Khan Yunis and Deir al-Balah continues to deteriorate, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fleeing to the two areas to escape Israeli operations in Rafah, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

“Between 6 and 16 May, according to the UN, nearly 640,000 people were displaced from Rafah, including about 40,000 people displaced on 16 May. According to the Shelter Cluster, there are no stocks of shelter materials left inside Gaza,” the report says. .

The UN agency insisted that more aid should be allowed to pass through checkpoints and enter Gaza by land.

“Any aid reaching Gaza is welcome by any means,” OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke said on Friday. “However, the delivery of aid to those in need, inside and outside Gaza, cannot and should not depend on a floating dock.”