UN Wants to Open Second Crossing into Gaza via Jordan
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sysAdmin
- . November 29, 2023
- . Update: November 29, 2023 3:35 pm
The United Nations is keen on opening a second crossing into Gaza to allow smooth flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza from Israel. About 800 trucks of aid have entered the besieged territory amid the ongoing humanitarian ceasefire and hostage release.
UN officials have been emphasizing increased aid into Gaza since day one of the ceasefire. Adnan Abu Hasna, United Nations Relief and Works Agency spokesperson, said the current levels of aid are just a drop in the ocean of humanitarian needs. He highlighted that they need more supplies to operate critical services and sectors like sewage, water or hospitals.
On Monday, the UN Secretary-General’s office said aid barely registers against the huge needs of 1.7 million displaced people. It said the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is getting worse by the day. The office highlighted that people in the south were queuing for kilometers for cooking gas and resorting to burning window frames and doors for cooking.
Second Crossing into Gaza
The UN is in talks with Jordan for the possible opening of Kerem Shalom crossing, located at the intersection of Israel, the Gaza Strip and Egypt, to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Before the latest conflict, this crossing was used to carry more than 60 percent of the truckloads going into Gaza. Martin Griffiths, UN Aid Chief, said there’s a dire need for more than one crossing. “The opportunity to use Kerem Shalom should be explored.”
However, a Western diplomat said there was no prospect of opening the Kerem Shalom crossing. The diplomat said Israel does not want to open the crossing because their troops are located in the area.
But Griffiths is determined to get more humanitarian aid into Gaza. “We know how we could increase it, but there are constraints beyond our control. We know that the people of Gaza need much more from us. We need to have reliable and scalable aid delivery mechanisms that include all humanitarian partners, including NGOs.
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US to Fly Aid for Gaza
Meanwhile, the United States military is set to fly three planeloads of crucial humanitarian aid to to North Sinai in Egypt for Gaza. It includes medical supplies, food and winter weather gear.
US President Joe Biden said the United States has led the humanitarian response into Gaza, building on years of work as the largest funder of humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people. “We are taking full advantage of the pause in fighting to increase the amount of humanitarian aid moving into Gaza, and we will continue our efforts to build a future of peace and dignity for the Palestinian people.”
