The emergency truck was entered into Gaza by Israel after nearly three months of blockade of the territory, the UN confirmed.
Five trucks carrying humanitarian aid, including baby food, entered the territory of more than 2 million Palestinians on Monday through the Kelem Shalom intersection, according to the Israeli defense agency coordinates aid to Gaza in Kogat.
The United Nations called the delivery a “welcome development,” but said much more assistance is needed to deal with the strip’s humanitarian crisis.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the decision to resume limited delivery of aid to Gaza after the lockdown that began on March 2 came after pressure from allies who said they could not support Israel’s new military attacks if there was “images of hunger” coming from Palestinian territory.
Meanwhile, Israel launched a wave of new air and ground operations across its territory, with the Army ordered the evacuation of Kahn Yunis, Gaza’s second largest city, and Israel carried out a massive operation early in the war, leaving most of the region in abandoned.
On Sunday, Israel said it would allow a “basic” amount of aid to Gaza to prevent the “hunger crisis” from developing.
Experts have already warned of potential hunger if the blockade imposed on the territory’s roughly 2 million Palestinians is not lifted.
Israel has bolstered its attack in Gaza by saying it is a bid to put pressure on Hamas to release the remaining hostages that were accused of in the attack on October 7, 2023 that sparked the war.
Hamas said they would only release them in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal from Israeli forces from territory.
Netanyahu said Israel plans to “control everything in Gaza” and establish a new system to distribute aid to avoid Hamas.
He also said Israel would encourage what many of Gaza’s population refer to as voluntary immigration to other countries.
Gaza’s “Red Line”
The Trump administration has expressed full support for Israel’s actions, and Hamas has denounced the Palestinian casualties, but has recently raised concerns over the hunger crisis.
Trump, who skipped Israel on a trip to the Middle East last week, expressed concern about Gaza’s humanitarian situation, as did Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In a video statement posted on social media, Netanyahu said that Israel’s “great friends in the world” “can’t accept the image of hunger and massive hunger. We can’t stand it. We won’t be able to support you.”
Netanyahu said the situation is approaching the “red line,” but it was not clear whether he was referring to the Gaza crisis or the potential loss of support from allies.
The video statement aims to ease anger from Netanyahu’s nationalist base in its decision to resume aid.
The two far-right operators are pushing Netanyahu not to grant assistance to Gaza.
At least one of them, Finance Minister Bezarel Smotlich, appeared to be on his latest plans.
“We will not raid or enter or leave any more, but we will conquer, cleanse and remain until Hamas is destroyed,” he said.
“We’re destroying what’s still left of the strip, simply because everything is one big city’s terrifying city.”
Israel says its new distribution plan is to prevent Hamas from accessing aid. Israel says it will be used to strengthen rules in Gaza.
However, UN agencies and aid groups rejected the proposal, saying supplies would not reach sufficient people and would weaponize aid in violation of humanitarian principles.
