Gaza government media: Only 49 trucks arrived in northern Gaza Strip this week

The government media office in Gaza announced on Friday that only 49 aid trucks had arrived in the northern Gaza Strip out of a total of 1,063 trucks that had entered the Gaza Strip this week, thus contradicting US and Israeli statements about an increase in the number of trucks.

Salama Maarouf, head of the office, explained: “The number of aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip this week reached 1,063, with 205 trucks entering through the Rafah Crossing, and 858 trucks through the Karam Abu Salem Crossing (which is under Israeli control). Only 49 trucks arrived in the northern Gaza Strip out of the total number of trucks mentioned.”

Maarouf considered that the number of trucks arriving in the Gaza Strip is completely insufficient to meet the needs of the Palestinians, especially in the north, given the ongoing Israeli war since 7 October, pointing out: “These numbers of trucks refute the American and Israeli statements about increasing the number of aid trucks, and claims that 300 aid trucks are brought in daily.”

Maarouf accused Israel of restricting the entry of aid to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, stressing that: “These practices are crimes that require accountability and go against the measures issued by the International Court of Justice.”

Maarouf called for: “Opening all crossings into the Gaza Strip and facilitating the arrival of aid by allowing no less than 1,000 trucks per day to overcome the effects of the food crisis.”

As a result of the war and Israeli restrictions, the residents of Gaza are on the brink of famine in light of a severe scarcity of food, water, medicine and fuel supplies. Around two million Palestinians have been displaced in Gaza, which has been besieged by Israel for 17 years and is inhabited by about 2.3 million Palestinians living in catastrophic conditions.

Israel pledged more than three weeks ago to improve aid access to the Gaza Strip, including reopening the Erez Crossing and allowing the use of the Port of Ashdod.

The pledge came after US President Joe Biden called on Israel to take steps to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

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