UN has clearance for 100 more aid trucks to enter Gaza, official says
A girl holds plastic containers as displaced Palestinians collect water at a camp in Gaza City on 20 May 2025.
Photo:
AFP / Bashar Taleb
The United Nations has received permission from Israel for about 100 more emergency aid trucks to enter Gaza, though the first supplies to have entered in weeks remained under
Israeli control
, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.
International humanitarian experts have warned of looming famine in the Palestinian enclave of 2.3 million people and the growing outcry has pushed Israel to lift an 11-week total blockade on aid supplies.
"We have requested and received approval for more trucks to enter today, many more than were approved yesterday," Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office (OCHA) told a Geneva press briefing. Asked to specify how many, he said: "Around 100."
After weeks of blockade, Israel cleared nine trucks of goods on Monday to enter Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing. However, Laerke said just five of those had so far entered Gaza and were still currently "under Israeli control" and subject to the last stage of checks.
"The next step is to collect them, and then they will be distributed through the existing system," said Laerke, adding that those trucks contained baby food and nutritional products for children.
"We know for a fact that there are babies in urgent life-saving need of these supplements. And if they do not get those, they will be in mortal danger," he said in response to a question about whether babies' lives were at risk.
United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher previously called the aid deliveries approved so far "a drop in the ocean".
Israel says it plans to intensify military operations against Hamas and to control the whole of Gaza, which has been devastated by an Israeli air and ground war since Hamas' cross-border attack on Israeli communities in October 2023.
Israel has said its blockade is aimed in part at preventing Palestinian militants from diverting and seizing aid supplies. Hamas has denied doing so.
Malnutrition rates in the densely populated territory have risen during the Israeli blockade and could rise exponentially if food shortages continue, a health official at the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA said at the same briefing.
"I have data until end of April and it shows malnutrition on the rise," said Akihiro Seita, UNRWA Director of Health. "And then the worry is that if the current food shortage continues, it will exponentially increase, and then get beyond our control."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
US-backed Gaza group suspends aid for a day over threats, Hamas vows to protect UN aid
By Maayan Lubell, Jaidaa Taha and Nidal al-Mughrabi , Reuters A boy carries a box of relief supplies from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), on 29 May 2025. Photo: Eyad Baba / AFP A controversial humanitarian organisation backed by the US and Israel did not distribute any food aid on Saturday (local time), accusing Hamas of making threats that "made it impossible" to operate in the enclave, which the Palestinian militants denied. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which uses private US security and logistics firms to operate, said it was adapting operations to overcome the unspecified threats. It later said in a Facebook post that two sites would reopen on Sunday. A Hamas official told Reuters he had no knowledge of such "alleged threats." The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said later on Saturday that the GHF operation has "utterly failed on all levels" and that Hamas was ready to help secure aid deliveries by a separate long-running UN-led humanitarian operation. Hamas also called on all Palestinians to protect humanitarian convoys. Israel and the US have accused Hamas of stealing aid from the UN-led operations, which the militants deny. A Hamas source said the group's armed wing would deploy some snipers from Sunday near routes used by the UN-led aid operation to prevent armed gangs from looting food shipments. The UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel allowed limited UN-led operations to resume on 19 May after an 11-week blockade in the enclave of 2.3 million people, where experts have warned a famine looms. A Palestinian youth who was injured by Israeli fire near a US-backed aid center in the Rafah area, receives treatment at the Nasser hospital in the southern Gaza Strip on 3 June 2025. Photo: AFP The UN has described the aid allowed into Gaza as " drop in the ocean ." Israel and the US are urging the UN to work through the GHF, but the UN has refused, questioning its neutrality and accusing the distribution model of militarising aid and forcing displacement. The GHF began operations in Gaza on 26 May and said on Friday so far it has distributed nearly 9 million meals. While the GHF has said there have been no incidents at its so-called secure distribution sites, Palestinians seeking aid have described disorder and access routes to the sites have been beset by chaos and deadly violence. Dozens of Palestinians were killed near GHF sites between Sunday and Tuesday, Gaza health authorities said. Israel has said it is investigating the Monday and Tuesday incidents but said it was not to blame for Sunday's violence. Palestinian children wait with others for food at a distribution point in Gaza City. Photo: AFP / Majdi Fathi The GHF did not give out aid on Wednesday as it pressed Israel to boost civilian safety beyond its sites, and then on Friday it paused some aid distribution "due to excessive crowding." The Israeli military said on Saturday that 350 trucks of humanitarian aid belonging to the UN and other international relief groups were transferred this week via the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza. Israel makes the UN offload aid on the Palestinian side of the crossing, where it then has to be picked by the UN and aid groups in Gaza. The UN has accused Israel of regularly denying access requests and complained that its aid convoys have been looted by unidentified armed men and hungry civilians. Israel has in recent weeks expanded its offensive across the Gaza Strip as US, Qatari and Egyptian-led efforts to secure another ceasefire have faltered. Medics in Gaza said 55 people were killed in Israeli strikes across the enclave on Saturday. Israeli military vehicles deploy at Israel's southern border with the Gaza Strip. Photo: AFP/JACK GUEZ The Palestinian Health Ministry said on Saturday that Gaza's hospitals only had fuel for three more days and that Israel was denying access for international relief agencies to areas where fuel storages designated for hospitals are located. There was no immediate response from the Israeli military or COGAT, the Israeli defence agency that coordinates humanitarian matters with the Palestinians. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it had uncovered "an underground tunnel route, including a command and control centre from which senior Hamas commanders" operated beneath the European Hospital compound in southern Gaza. The war erupted after Hamas-led militants took 251 hostages and killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, in the 7 October 2023 attack, Israel's single deadliest day. Israel's military campaign has since killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to health authorities in Gaza, and flattened much of the coastal enclave. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday the Israeli military had retrieved the body of a Thai agricultural worker held in Gaza since the October 2023 attack. Nattapong Pinta's body was held by the Mujahedeen Brigades militant group, and recovered from Rafah in southern Gaza, Katz said. - Reuters
Scoop
10 hours ago
- Scoop
Libya: Sites Of Gross Human Rights Violations Must Be Sealed And Impartially Investigated
GENEVA (4 June 2025) – UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said on Wednesday he was shocked by revelations of gross human rights violations uncovered at official and unofficial detention facilities run by the Stabilization Support Apparatus (SSA) force in Tripoli, calling for the sites to be sealed, and for prompt, independent, impartial and transparent investigations by the Libyan authorities. Türk said the discoveries confirm the longstanding findings by the UN Support Mission in Libya and the former UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission, as well as from various witness accounts, regarding the existence of such sites and the extent of violations committed in connection with them, including torture and enforced disappearances. 'Our worst held fears are being confirmed: dozens of bodies have been discovered at these sites, along with the discovery of suspected instruments of torture and abuse, and potential evidence of extrajudicial killings,' he said. 'These sites must be sealed and all potential evidence preserved in support of immediate accountability efforts. Those responsible for these atrocious acts must be brought to justice without delay, in accordance with international standards.' The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said he was troubled by reports that Libya's forensic authorities mandated to exhume and identify human remains have yet to be granted access to excavatethe sites, and urged the authorities to grant full and unimpeded access to all sites. Between 18-21 May, the UN Human Rights Office received information on the excavation of 10 charred bodies at the SSA headquarters in Abu Salim, along with the discovery of a total of 67 bodies in refrigerators at the Abu Salim and Al Khadra hospitals. Some of the remains are said to be in an advanced state of decomposition due to power outages in the hospital. The identities of the bodies were not immediately clear. A burial site was also reportedly discovered at the SSA-run Tripoli Zoo. The High Commissioner said he was also distressed that horrifying images and video footage of the sites had been shared on social media, stressing that the dignity and privacy of the victims and the rights of their families must be respected. Türk called on the authorities to grant the United Nations access to the sites as part of its mandate to document human rights violations. The sites were found after the killing of Abdul Ghani al-Kikli, the SSA's leader, last month. Subsequent clashes between State security actors and armed groups sparked protests calling for an end to violence in Tripoli, resulting in the deaths of several civilians and a police officer, as well as extensive damage to civilian property, including hospitals. 'We have received reports that these protests were themselves met with unnecessary force, raising serious concerns with respect to the guarantee of the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and assembly, as well as the need to protect civic space,' Türk said. The High Commissioner noted the announcement by the Attorney-General of the formation of two committees to investigate human rights violations and abuses by State security actors and associated groups during the clashes. He further called on authorities to ensure that the killing of the SSA leader and violations and abuses by all actors, regardless of affiliation, were investigated promptly and thoroughly through independent and impartial processes, with a view to ensuring full accountability and the rights of victims to truth, justice and reparations. He urged a commitment from all parties to avoid further escalation and noted ongoing efforts to uphold the truce, brokered by the Truce Committee established by the Presidency Council and facilitated by UNSMIL. He reminded all parties of their obligations to respect international human rights and humanitarian law. 'The people of Libya have clearly expressed their demand for truth and justice, and their yearning for a peaceful and safe way of life with human rights and freedoms at the front and centre, including their economic, social and cultural rights, ,' Türk said. 'I call on all responsible political and security actors in the country to use their leadership and authority to protect and fulfil the human rights of all Libyans. I further urge these actors and those with influence over them to redouble their efforts to end the recurring cycle of transitional arrangements and establish a full and inclusive democracy.'
Scoop
11 hours ago
- Scoop
Interview: Un Offers Best Platform To Address Discrimination, Envoy To Combat Islamophobia Says
4 June 2025 'Everybody understood that something had to be done in order to eradicate and eliminate this sense of intolerance and lack of acceptance of these people,' Miguel Ángel Moratinos said in an interview with UN News. In the face of rising Islamophobia, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in March 2024 that condemned anti-Muslim violence. Acting against intolerance It called for countries to take all necessary measures - including legislative and policy measures - to combat religious intolerance, and to prohibit by law incitement to violence against persons on the grounds of their religion or belief. The resolution also requested the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia. Mr. Moratinos assumed the post this month and will also continue in his present role as High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), established two decades ago to promote intercultural and interfaith dialogue. He reflected on the significance of the new appointment, how it supplements his work to fight antisemitism, and the priorities that lie ahead. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length. Miguel Ángel Moratinos: I think this is a key moment for the UN and for the commitment to fight Islamophobia. It comes at a moment when the whole international community, all 193 UN Member States, decided to have this figure in order to demonstrate that they are all in favour of combating Islamophobia. That means combating discrimination, hostility and violence against Muslim people that want to live in peace and dignity. Everybody understood that something had to be done to eradicate and eliminate this sense of intolerance and lack of acceptance of these people. They have a faith, they have a religion, they have a mission, and so they have to be respected like any other human being. UN News: You are also serving as the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). How does combining the fight against Islamophobia with your department's broader mission enhance the UN's efforts to promote intercultural and interfaith dialogue? Miguel Ángel Moratinos: The UN Alliance of Civilizations has a broader mission. It was started 20 years ago when then Secretary-General Kofi Annan decided to launch this initiative. I was thinking over the past days, when I had been appointed as the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, that this was the right response because when I was Foreign Minister of Spain and we decided with the then Prime Minister (José Luis Rodríguez) Zapatero to launch this idea for an Alliance of Civilizations, behind this idea was what happened after 9-11 and why there was this kind of reluctance, misunderstanding and confusion about Islam. Now I have the broader mandate in the Alliance of Civilizations. We are working not only on fighting discrimination based on religion, faith or belief, but we also have the cultural religion aspect in order to facilitate conflict resolution, prevention and how we create the means to achieve peace and live better together. But at the same time, we need a specific mandate to go further in our fight against this kind of discrimination. I have the portfolio of focal point for antisemitism and now I also have the portfolio to combat Islamophobia. UN News: How can the UN better address rising Islamophobia generally or globally in our world today? Miguel Ángel Moratinos: Islamophobia is not something that only occurs in Europe or in the United States, but globally. We are in a multipolar world. All problems and actions take place across the planet and the UN has to address them. The UN is the platform that takes all countries and nations into consideration. And, of course, the Muslim community is one of the biggest on the planet. We are practically eight billion people and 2.5 billion are Muslim. I think the UN is the best platform to really fight against any kind of discrimination or negative attitude towards them. UN News: Now that you have this dual role as a High Representative for the UNAOC and Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, tell us about your top priorities. Miguel Ángel Moratinos: My top priority will of course be the general action programme of the Alliance for Civilizations. We have a UN plan for fighting antisemitism and we will also have a UN plan to fight Islamophobia. We will set certain priorities and of course the most important is to reduce this rise of anti-Islamic and Muslim hatred that is spreading around the world. We have to engage with the main international organizations and main countries that have the capacity and that are concerned about the spread of this anti-Muslim behaviour. UN News: What are some examples of projects or partnerships you are currently working on or hope to implement in the future? Miguel Ángel Moratinos: We have several that have to start immediately. Islam is not well understood in the western world, so we have to use education. We have to establish certain programmes to explain what Islam is, what the Quran is. People are referring to the Quran and to Islam, but they have not read the Quran at all, so they don't know. Second, we have to be very strong in condemning any act, hostility, violation or attack against not only Muslim people, but Islamic property, holy sites, holy books, etc. We have to reinforce respect. And for that, we need to introduce certain elements into the legal systems of western countries. Some countries like Sweden and Denmark have made certain reforms in their legal systems, so they can be made through dialogue, through understanding, through respect. And I think this legal empowerment to defend and to combat Islamophobia is needed. UN News: Any final thoughts? Miguel Ángel Moratinos: I think this appointment came at the right moment. What really encouraged me is that I have the full support of the international community. It showed that the whole world, whether you are Muslim, Christian, Jewish, or Buddhist, or any faith - all Member States voted for this resolution and for the appointment of a Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia. I think that will help me to successfully achieve my mandate.
