Israeli blockades have delayed vital aid to northern Gaza, leaving the population in dire need of urgent relief.

Only 861 out of 1,200 aid trucks reached northern Gaza by Wednesday due to Israeli blockades, since the ceasefire took effect, the Anadolu news agency reported.

The Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in northern Gaza remained closed under the pretext of damaged roads caused by Israeli bombardment, necessitating intervention to reopen roads, a government source told Anadolu on Thursday.

Only 861 out of 1,200 aid trucks reached northern Gaza due to Israeli blockades, as the Erez crossing remained closed, citing damage to the road from bombings that required repairs to reopen https://t.co/CpNKGoL4Co pic.twitter.com/m1lmAjl2gr

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 24, 2025

The first six-week phase of a Gaza ceasefire agreement, aimed at a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, took effect on Sunday, January 19.

Aid Urgently Required

The source emphasized that the humanitarian situation in northern Gaza continues to require immediate and comprehensive support, including fuel and basic supplies to aid those affected by Israel’s military onslaught.

The source also stressed the importance of expediting the remaining trucks to meet the urgent needs of the population.

A Humanitarian aid graveyard in Gaza, where all the “aid” that is “allowed” in only gets as far as the israeli-controlled Karim Abu Salem | via @NYplaid pic.twitter.com/TIIeDMWM3d

— Sarah Wilkinson (@swilkinsonbc) January 23, 2025

The Hamas-Israel agreement stipulated the entry of 300 aid trucks daily into the northern region, highlighting that Israeli obstacles have prevented the full implementation of this clause, resulting in a shortage of trucks, Anadolu reported.

Staggering Death Toll

The Government Media Office in Gaza announced measures earlier for the anticipated return of displaced Palestinians from the southern and central enclave to Gaza City and northern areas starting next Sunday.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 47,035 Palestinians have been killed, and 111,091 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023.

‘When I Saw the House, I Felt Paralyzed’: Gaza’s Battle for Shelter

The toll is expected to rise further, with at least 11,000 people still unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes across Gaza.

The war, which Palestinians call “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” began after a military operation carried out by Hamas on Israeli territory. Israel reports that 1,139 of its soldiers and civilians were killed during the initial attack on October 7. However, Israeli media have raised concerns that a significant number of Israeli casualties were caused by ‘friendly fire’ during the assault.

Millions Displaced

Human rights organizations, both Palestinian and international, have reported that the overwhelming majority of the casualties in Gaza are women and children. The ongoing violence has also exacerbated an acute famine, with thousands of children among the dead, highlighting the severity of the humanitarian disaster.

Displaced Palestinians gather to receive food from a charity kitchen in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/kXmiQc2P3E

— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) January 24, 2025

The war has displaced nearly two million people from their homes across Gaza, with the majority of the displaced forced into the already overcrowded southern region of the Strip. The population in Gaza remains trapped in the ongoing conflict, with little access to basic necessities such as food, water, and medical care.

(PC, Anadolu)