Live After Quit

“Aid Trucks Reach Gaza – But Desperate Crisis Call Remains”.

The Gaza Strip, a 135-square-mile coastal enclave, remains in desperate need of humanitarian aid. The first shipments of aid in several weeks finally made it to the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. The aid was carried by two truckloads of supplies from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The trucks entered the Gaza Strip from Israel via the Kerem Shalom crossing. The trucks carried food, medical supplies, and other essentials for the people of the Gaza Strip. This was only a small portion of what is needed to meet the needs of Gazans. Gaza has about two million people living in it and is facing a severe crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a decade of an Israeli-imposed blockade, and a recent wave of violence between Israel and Palestinian militant groups. The UNRWA said that more shipments of essential goods are needed. “Given the dire situation in Gaza, these are welcome steps, but much more needs to be done,” the agency said in a statement. The statement went on to note that Gazan hospitals are facing a shortage of medical supplies and equipment. Despite the state of crisis in Gaza, the Israeli government confirmed it was going ahead with a planned opening of the Kerem Shalom crossing for the shipment of goods. “Israel decided to open the Kerem Shalom for shipments of essential goods, in the interest of protecting the civilian population living in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli army said in a statement. The current crisis in Gaza is a reminder of the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza needs to be addressed urgently. Ultimately, it is the people of Gaza who need a permanent resolution to their plight. Governments on both sides need to negotiate a lasting peace deal that will bring stability, prosperity, and hope to the Gaza Strip.