Gaza city: Israel allowed only 109 aid trucks into the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, but most of them were looted amid escalating security chaos, the Gaza Government Media Office reported. Four of six airdrops also fell into hazardous zones, it said.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Gaza Government Media Office stated, "Today, 109 aid trucks entered Gaza, with the majority looted and robbed due to the security chaos systematically and deliberately imposed by the Israeli occupation." The office added that Israel aims to "sabotage aid distribution and deprive civilians of assistance as part of engineering chaos and starvation."
The office further highlighted the failure of airdrop operations to reach those in need, noting that "four of six airdrops landed in areas under Israeli military control or neighborhoods where civilians had been ordered to evacuate." It expressed concerns that anyone in these areas "faces direct targeting and killing," rendering the airdrops "not only futile but also dangerous to the starving population."
The media office emphasized the urgent need for at least 600 aid trucks and fuel daily to meet the basic needs of civilians in Gaza. Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza for 18 years and, since March 2, has shut down all crossings, blocking the entry of aid convoys and ignoring international calls to reopen them.
The situation has led to severe humanitarian consequences, with at least 147 people dying of starvation since October 2023, including 88 children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. This development comes as Israel announced plans for localized temporary pauses in fighting to allow aid delivery through designated safe corridors, amid accusations that such measures attempt to mitigate its role in the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza since October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of over 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has devastated the enclave and led to severe food shortages.
In a related development, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Additionally, Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the enclave.