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International Desk : May 19, 2025 : After maintaining a blockade for nearly 80 days, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) allowed a minimal amount of humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip on Monday.
Only nine trucks carrying relief supplies, including baby food, were permitted to cross into the territory, which supports over 1.9 million Palestinians facing dire conditions.
Ghassan Elian, head of the IDF’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, confirmed the development to Israel’s Army Radio. “Today, Monday, nine trucks carrying baby food and relief supplies were allowed into Gaza. The vehicles were thoroughly inspected before entry,” he said. He added that the aid would first be delivered to warehouses managed by international organizations in Gaza and then distributed under the supervision of the United Nations and the Red Cross.
Gaza, already burdened by poverty and unemployment in peacetime, has seen its dependence on humanitarian aid grow since the IDF’s operations began in October 2023. Over one-third of its 2 million residents relied on direct aid even before the conflict intensified. Israel, however, has restricted aid deliveries, arguing that unrestricted access could allow supplies to reach Hamas, the group controlling Gaza, thereby bolstering its influence.
The blockade has created a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with severe shortages of food, medicine, and medical care. The United Nations and other international organizations report that deaths due to starvation, lack of medicine, and inadequate healthcare are nearly as high as those caused by Israeli shelling. According to UN data, over 100,000 people have died in Gaza since the conflict began, with half of these deaths attributed to shortages of essential supplies.
On Sunday, a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that urgent food supplies would be provided to alleviate Gaza’s hunger crisis, as a worsening famine could obstruct IDF operations. Since October 2023, the conflict has claimed 53,119 lives and injured 120,214 people in Gaza, with 56% of the casualties being women and children.
The conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli territory, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a military campaign to neutralize Hamas and secure the hostages’ release. After over 15 months of operations, international pressure from the United States and other mediators led to a ceasefire on January 19, 2025. However, the IDF resumed operations on March 18, 2025, with 2,985 Palestinians killed and 8,173 injured daily in Gaza over the past two months. Israel halted aid truck entries on March 1, 2025, further worsening the crisis.
AI/MR
