Humanitarian aid to Gaza
The population of the Gaza Strip has faced starvation and famine since the blockade started in 2007.[1][2] As a result of this, official bodies have urged Israel to improve the facilitation of humanitarian aid supplies to Gaza.[3] According to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, an Israeli military unit responsible for humanitarian aid, aid "is routed to Egypt and then forwarded to undergo Israeli security screening at either Nitzana or Kerem Shalom Crossings".[4] There is also an aid delivery channel via Jordan.[4]
Israel was criticized for limiting humanitarian aid to Gaza for the past few years.[5][6] COGAT has claimed in 2024 that "there is no limit on the amount of aid" that can enter Gaza,[7] but the United Nations has accused Israel of blocking land routes and airstriking.[8]
Routes
[edit]Aid could enter through Nitzana Border Crossing, Kerem Shalom Border Crossing, and Erez Border Crossing. Aid could be also entered by sea (Gaza floating pier) and by air (using airdrops).[9]
Before Israel-Hamas war, 400-500 trucks entered Gaza every single day from these crossing.[10]
Opposition
[edit]Some Israelis are against humanitarian aid entering Gaza. According to a poll published by Globes, 22% of Israelis think that "Israel should not provide humanitarian aid (to Gaza) at all during wartime", 27% of Israelis think that Israel should provide as much as needed, and 44% of Israelis think that Israeli aid should be linked to the return of hostages.[11]
Since January 2024, the protest movement "Tzav 9", have announced protests blocking Kerem Shalom border crossing.[12] (On 14 June 2024, Tzav 9 were sanctioned by the US.[13]) On 28 January 2024, Yaron Finkelman, an Israeli major general who commands the Southern Command of the Israel Defense Forces, announced a military exclusion zone (MEZ) on Kerem Shalom border crossing. this was in order to block further protests at the area.[14] as a result, Tzav 9 have announced further protests
On 29 January 2024, 13 protestors who blocked routes to humanitarian aid were arrested.[15] On 13 May 2024, protestors rioted at "Tarkamiya" crossing, set fire to two humanitarian trucks and vandalized a further nine. Four were arrested in this incident.[16]
Assistance
[edit]Gaza floating pier
[edit]The Gaza floating pier is a floating dock facility created by the U.S. military, after being proposed immediately before U.S. President Biden's 2024 State of the Union Address on 7 March 2024. It was completed in May 2024.[citation needed]
It was constructed by U.S. military forces based on ships offshore of the Gaza Strip, then connected to the shore by causeway, to enable the delivery of maritime cargo for humanitarian assistance to Gaza.[17] The unloading point joins the Netzarim Corridor. The World Food Programme will be responsible for receiving and distributing the aid.[18]
On 25 May 2024, the U.S. military announced that four boats that served as part of the pier's support system broke off from the structure, following choppy waters, so it stopped operating.[19]
The repaired pier was reinstalled by 7 June 2024 and has reportedly been getting aid since 8 June 2024.[20][21]
References
[edit]- ^ Editorial (2024-03-19). "The Guardian view on famine in Gaza: a human-made catastrophe". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ "United States Announces Additional Humanitarian Assistance to Palestinian Civilians in Gaza and the Region". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ "US increases pressure on Israel over Gaza aid as truce talks continue". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ a b "Israel Humanitarian efforts - Swords of Iron". COGAT. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ "Checking the "dual-use" list twice". Gisha.
- ^ Emma, Farge. "Israel still imposing 'unlawful' restrictions on Gaza aid, UN rights office says".
- ^ "How Israel is effectively hindering access to aid in Gaza - occupied Palestinian territory | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2024-04-07. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ Haq, Rachel Wilson, Sana Noor (2024-06-07). "Here's what Gaza's humanitarian aid crisis looks like after eight months of war". CNN. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Gupta, Gaya (2024-05-11). "What We Know About Where Aid Can Enter Gaza". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ "How is aid getting into Gaza?". British Red Cross. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ גלובס (2024-03-15). "סקר גלובס חושף: רוב הציבור חושב – ישראל צריכה לפעול ברפיח". Globes. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ "צו 9 נגד נתניהו: "משאיות האספקה - חמצן עבור חמאס"". סרוגים (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ https://www.state.gov/sanctioning-israeli-group-for-disrupting-and-destroying-humanitarian-aid-to-civilians/
- ^ ynet, כתבי (2024-01-28). "חוסמים את חוסמי המשאיות: כרם שלום שוב נסגר - וצה"ל הודיע על שטח צבאי סגור". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ "חרף הנחיית האלוף: פעילי צו 9 חסמו את המשאיות". סרוגים (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ סולומון, עדן; בריינר, יהושע (ג'וש); פלג, בר (2024-05-13). "שתי משאיות עם סיוע הומניטרי לרצועת עזה הוצתו ליד מעבר תרקומיא". הארץ (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ "Biden orders US military to set up temporary aid port for Gaza as famine threatens". AP News. 2024-03-07. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ Yeung, Jessie (2024-05-17). "US military starts delivering aid to Gaza through floating pier". CNN. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ Nancy A. Youssef, Carrie Keller-Lynn. "U.S. 'Floating Pier' for Gaza Damaged by Choppy Seas".
- ^ Crowley, Michael (2024-06-07). "Gaza Aid Pier Repaired After Damage by Rough Seas, U.S. Says". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ "Aid is delivered to Gaza from newly repaired US-built pier, US military says". AP News. 2024-06-08. Retrieved 2024-06-13.