KUALA LUMPUR - The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the amount of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip has shrunk by 67 per cent since Israel began its military operation in Rafah on May 7.
"The amount of food and other aid entering Gaza, already insufficient to meet the soaring needs, has further shrunk since May 7, with a daily average of 58 humanitarian aid trucks reaching Gaza between May 7 and 28, compared with a daily average of 176 aid trucks between April 1 and May 6.
"These figures exclude private sector cargo and fuel," it said in an update on the West Bank published on Wednesday.
OCHA reported that no aid entered Gaza on May 27 and 28 through the temporary floating dock recently built by the United States military after a section was damaged due to bad weather conditions.
Since it began operating on May 17, the agency said 137 truckloads of food supplies have been transported from the dock, according to the World Food Programme.
"Combined with intensified hostilities and access constraints within Gaza, this has gravely affected humanitarian operations and the ability of people to access life-saving aid.
"According to the Health Cluster, there are very limited medical supplies available within Gaza, and this is placing major constraints on health service delivery," it said.
OCHA said Israeli bombardment from the air, land, and sea continues to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure.
Intensified hostilities and the Israeli military operation in Rafah have displaced about one million people, most of whom had previously sought refuge in Rafah, amid bombardments, lack of safety, food, water, and unsuitable living conditions, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). - BERNAMA