GENEVA, Oct 17 (KUNA) -- United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced Friday that nearly 230 trucks carrying nearly 2,800 tons of food supplies have entered Gaza Strip since the ceasefire was declared, representing a daily average of around 560 tons of food delivered between October 11 and October 15.
WFP Spokesperson for Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe Abeer Etefa warned during a press briefing in Geneva that the quantities delivered so far remain "below the required level", emphasizing that the WFP is continuing to scale up its humanitarian operations as field conditions improve and the ceasefire holds.
Etefa noted that the WFP has succeeded in operating five food distribution centers across the Strip providing assistance to families particularly women and children. She explained that the programآ’s next target is to expand to 145 distribution centers throughout Gaza, a goal that depends primarily on the continued and regular flow of trucks.
The WFP spokesperson confirmed that only two crossings are currently being used to bring in humanitarian aid (Karm Abu Salem) in the south and (Kissufim) in the central part of the Strip, noting that convoys have crossed safely in recent days without any loss of commodities.
Etefa stressed the need to increase operational capacity to speed up inspection and offloading processes, in order to save more lives, and called for the reopening of the Erez and Zikim crossings to ensure aid reaches northern Gaza and Gaza City, which have been cut off for several weeks.
She underscored the importance of providing and distributing specialized nutritional supplies to support pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under five, recalling that Gaza City was classified in August as being in Phase 5 (Famine) of food insecurity.
Etefa also announced that the WFP has begun expanding its electronic voucher and digital payment system to enable families to purchase fresh food in local markets once they reopen. The program aims to reach 200.000 people roughly 10 percent of Gazaآ’s population.
However, she acknowledged that operational challenges remain significant, citing widespread road destruction and the loss of around 50 percent of storage capacity due to infrastructure damage.
The WFP spokesperson further stated that the agencyآ’s teams in coordination with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) have managed to secure key roads leading to northern areas in preparation for their future reopening.
From his part, deputy spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Jens Laerke reported that according to data received from Israeli occupation authorities via mediators, 716 trucks entered Gaza on Wednesday including 16 trucks of fuel and gas most of them through Kerem Shalom Crossing. On Thursday the total rose to 950 trucks among them eight carrying fuel and three carrying gas.
Laerke confirmed that Israeli occupation forces continue to refuse the opening of other crossings needed to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid trucks. (end) imk.mt