The United Nations has confirmed it has received approval to send approximately 100 trucks of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, as desperately needed supplies begin to trickle back into the war-torn territory after more than two months of complete blockade.
Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told reporters in Geneva that “many more”;; trucks had been approved for entry compared to the previous day.
“We have requested and received approval of more trucks to enter today, many more than were approved yesterday,”;; Laerke said. “The number is around 100.”;;
He added that the UN expects many, if not all, of the trucks to cross into Gaza on Tuesday and proceed to distribution points within the enclave.
The first aid convoy—comprising just nine trucks—was permitted into Gaza on Monday through the Kerem Shalom crossing, marking the first such delivery since March 2, when Israel imposed a full blockade.
UN officials described that limited delivery as “a drop in the ocean”;; compared to the scale of humanitarian needs.
Five of Monday’s trucks successfully crossed into the territory, and the UN has received clearance to retrieve them, Laerke said.
“We do have the clearance today to pick them up and pick up other trucks that may enter that process whereby they flow through the Kerem Shalom crossing,”;; he explained.
The situation inside Gaza has deteriorated sharply amid Israel’s ongoing military offensive, which it says is aimed at dismantling the Hamas militant network.
The blockade has led to critical shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, triggering a wave of international condemnation.
Images from inside Gaza show displaced Palestinians queuing for water and food, with reports of growing malnutrition, especially among children and the elderly.
Makeshift charity kitchens have emerged in places like Jabalia, where people push through crowds for portions of cooked food.
Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned that significant, sustained aid deliveries are urgently needed to prevent a full-blown famine.
They have called on Israel to allow unhindered access to Gaza for food, fuel, and medical supplies.
Despite the approval of more trucks, UN officials maintain that the current pace of delivery is insufficient. “This is just a first step. Much more is needed—urgently,”;; Laerke stressed.
