Israel’s military announced on Sunday that it would pause fighting for 11 hours each day near the Kerem Shalom border crossing in southern Gaza to allow for more humanitarian aid to enter the area. This move comes as millions of people in Gaza are facing displacement, starvation, disease, and a lack of water and hygiene facilities. The Kerem Shalom crossing, which connects Gaza to Israel and Egypt, is a main source of aid for the region, and humanitarian groups have been increasingly concerned about the lack of supplies reaching those in need.
The United Nations has reported that humanitarian aid entering Gaza has dropped by roughly 66% since fighting in Rafah began in early May. The situation is worst in the southern part of the region, near the Kerem Shalom crossing. Despite over 1,000 aid trucks waiting to be unloaded at the border on Sunday, human rights activists have expressed concerns over how much impact the pause in fighting will actually have on aid reaching those in need. Another key border gate crossing near the Egyptian border in Rafah remains closed.
Scott Anderson of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine emphasized the urgent need for aid in Gaza, stating that people require food, medicine, water, tents, and other essentials for survival. The United Nations has reported that 50,000 children in Gaza are in need of urgent treatment for malnutrition. This increasing humanitarian crisis has prompted humanitarian workers to call for more aid to reach Gaza as fighting continues in the region.
The ongoing conflict in Rafah has resulted in thousands of Palestinians being killed, with Israel seeking to eliminate Hamas strongholds in the area. The Kerem Shalom border crossing was temporarily closed after a rocket attack by Hamas killed three Israeli soldiers in May, but it was later reopened to allow aid to reach civilians. The fighting in Rafah has led to millions of people being displaced and sheltering in the city, further exacerbating the need for humanitarian assistance.
In a separate incident, eight Israeli soldiers were killed on Saturday after their armored vehicle was hit by an explosion. This was the deadliest incident for the Israel Defense Forces since January and occurred during an offensive in Rafah that saw 50 fighters killed. The situation in Gaza remains volatile, with ongoing clashes and a dire need for humanitarian aid to reach those affected by the conflict.
As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to escalate, the international community must work together to ensure that aid reaches those in need and that efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict are prioritized. The temporary pause in fighting near the Kerem Shalom border crossing is a small step towards addressing the urgent needs of the people in Gaza, but more sustained efforts and support are necessary to alleviate the suffering and prevent further loss of life in the region.
