The United Nations said on Monday it will begin bringing more armored vehicles and personal protective equipment into its operations in the Gaza Strip, after receiving approval from Israeli authorities.
The release follows a United Nations letter to Israel last month discussing security in Gaza, said Scott Anderson, deputy humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territories. The war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas has entered its 10th month and has turned the region into a lawless land.
The United Nations has long complained about obstacles to getting aid to Gaza, as Israel inspects and approves all trucks. The organization says it is also struggling to distribute aid amid “total anarchy” in the enclave of 2.3 million people, which the Global Hunger Monitor has identified as a high-risk area for starvation.
Anderson said the United Nations should begin bringing more armored vehicles and protective equipment into Gaza starting Tuesday.
“Some communications devices have also been approved,” such as portable radios for personal communication, but Anderson added that discussions with the UN are still ongoing on the requirement for stable Internet access.
The UN says it needs communications that don’t rely on cell phone towers because they are unreliable. Israeli officials, however, are concerned about what Hamas might do if it accessed the Internet via satellite.
“CRIMINAL FAMILIES”
Anderson said the UN needs to provide the right amount and quality of aid, but several factors “continue to hinder us.” He cited restrictions on movement, lack of worker safety, unpredictable work schedules, communication difficulties and fuel shortages as problems.
“We have seen a complete breakdown of law and order, we have seen essentially criminal families preventing the free flow of aid into Gaza,” he said.
“Truck drivers are regularly threatened or attacked… And they have become less willing to take materials from warehouses to people in need, which is understandable,” he added.
Anderson also says the UN brings between 20 and 75 truckloads of aid a day into northern Gaza, but there is no commercial access.
As for southern Gaza, Anderson said that “we barely managed to get 100 trucks in on a successful day last week because of the lawlessness issues.” However, he said commercial deliveries have fared slightly better “because they essentially pay for the protection of families in the south and they also have armed security guards.”
Humanitarian officials say 600 truckloads of commercial materials and supplies are needed in Gaza every day to meet the needs of the population.
Source: Terra
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