New Delhi: “Even wars have rules,” the United Nations said Monday as the second batch of aid trickled into Gaza amid fears of an escalating conflict.
In a post on X, the UN cited the Geneva Convention, saying it “protects civilians in conflict and helps ensure assistance reaches those in need, without discrimination”.
Late Sunday, a convoy of 14 trucks rolled into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, which UN’s head of emergency relief Martin Griffiths called “another glimmer of hope” but added that much more was needed. He wrote on social media: “Another small glimmer of hope for the millions of people in dire need of humanitarian aid… But they need more, much more.”
The aid included “water, food and medical equipment,” according to a statement from an Israeli defence ministry agency. “All of the equipment was inspected by Israeli security personnel before it was brought into Gaza,” it said.
After the second convoy crossed into the besieged strip, US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed in a call that “there will now be continued flow of… critical assistance into Gaza”, the White House said.
However, the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that the humanitarian situation was now catastrophic for the 2.3 million people trapped inside the territory.
Speaking on television, WFP chief Cindy McCain described the amount of aid to Gaza so far as a “drop”. “We need – we need secure and sustainable access in there… This is a catastrophe happening and we just simply have to get these trucks in,” The Guardian reported.
A similar convoy of 20 trucks had entered Gaza the day before on Saturday where over two million people have been starved of fuel, electricity and food ever since Israel cut off supply after the 7 October attack on its southern region by Hamas gunmen. The rampage by land, air and sea killed over 1400 Israelis while more than 200 were taken hostage.
The UN wrote that the first 20 trucks “brought in desperately needed items such as medical supplies, tins of tuna and tomato paste, wheat flour, and enough drinking water for 22,000 people for a day. Hundreds more trucks are on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing awaiting entry”.
The UN has appealed for a continuous flow of aid to Gaza and for Hamas to release dozens of hostages seized during its “deadly incursion” on 7 October, igniting the crisis.
“Israel responded with continuous air strikes, a complete siege of Gaza, and orders for people to evacuate the northern part of the enclave,” the UN said Sunday.
At least 4,600 have been killed in Gaza in Israel’s 16-day bombardment of whom 1,750 were children, The Guardian quoted Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. This is an average of 110 children a day.
Meanwhile, there has been no let-up in Israeli strikes as the country bombed Gaza from the air early Monday and also struck southern Lebanon overnight.
The Israel Defence Forces said on X Monday morning: “Our forces struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon, including a military compound and an observation post. 4 Hezbollah terrorist cells operating on the border with Lebanon were struck.”
Also read: Aid trucks enter Gaza as Rafah crossing opens. ‘Difference between life & death,’ says UN chief