\n<\/p>\n
Aid agencies have continued to criticise Israel after it announced it had sent a small convoy of trucks carrying vital supplies into Gaza.<\/p>\n
COGAT, the Israeli military body responsible for civil affairs in the occupied Palestinian territory, confirmed on Friday that 107 trucks had entered the enclave the previous day, loaded with flour, medicine and equipment.<\/p>\n
However, aid agencies and others have condemned Israel\u2019s policy to allow only minimal volumes of aid into Gaza, which the Israeli military has been blockading for close to three months.<\/p>\n
They insist that the supplies are nowhere near enough for the millions trapped in the territory, and add that even the small amounts making it in are not making it to people due to Israeli attacks and looting.<\/p>\n
The shipments follow Israel\u2019s announcement on Sunday that it would permit \u201cminimal\u201d<\/span> humanitarian aid into the territory for the first time since implementing a total blockade in early March.<\/p>\n Amid warnings of mounting famine and humanitarian disaster, Israel said that the decision to allow aid into Gaza was driven by diplomatic concerns.<\/p>\n Global outrage has been rising as the 11-week siege has progressed, leaving Gaza\u2019s 2.1 million people on the brink of starvation, with medicine and fuel supplies exhausted.<\/p>\n The United Nations\u2019 Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher has branded the aid deliveries \u201ca drop in the ocean\u201d and warned that far greater access is required to address the escalating crisis.<\/p>\n The UN estimates that at least 500 trucks of aid are needed daily. Since Monday\u2019s announcement, only 300 trucks have made it in, including Thursday\u2019s convoy, according to COGAT.<\/p>\n Aid agencies also state that even the aid that is being allowed into Gaza is not reaching people.<\/p>\n \u201cSignificant challenges in loading and dispatching goods remain due to insecurity, the risk of looting, delays in coordination approvals and inappropriate routes being provided by Israeli forces that are not viable for the movement of cargo,\u201d the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hamas officials said on Friday that Israeli air strikes had killed at least six Palestinians guarding aid trucks against looters.<\/p>\n An umbrella network of Palestinian aid groups said that just 119 aid trucks have entered Gaza since Israel eased its blockade on Monday, and that distribution has been hampered by looting, including by armed groups of men.<\/p>\n \u201cThey stole food meant for children and families suffering from severe hunger,\u201d the network said in a statement.<\/p>\n The UN\u2019s World Food Programme said on Friday that 15 of its trucks were looted in southern Gaza while en route to WFP-supported bakeries.<\/p>\n Inside Gaza, the situation continues to deteriorate.<\/p>\n Dr Ahmed al-Farrah of Nasser Hospital told Al Jazeera that the health system is overwhelmed.<\/p>\n \u201cMost people now live off food scraps of what they had in stock,\u201d he said. \u201cI predict there will be many victims because of food insecurity.\u201d<\/p>\n Palestinian Health Ministry officials said on Thursday that at least 29 children and elderly people have died<\/span> in recent days from starvation-related causes, with thousands more at risk.<\/p>\n UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres\u2019s spokesperson said aid is being distributed via UN mechanisms, but stressed the amount reaching Gaza \u201cis not enough\u201d.<\/p>\n The leaders of Britain, France and Canada warned Israel on Monday their countries would take action, including possible sanctions, if Israel did not lift aid restrictions.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Israeli Government\u2019s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable and risks breaching International Humanitarian Law,\u201d a joint statement released by the British government said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will not hesitate to take further action, including targeted sanctions,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s office accused the trio of being \u201con the wrong side of history\u201d and \u201csupporting \u201cmass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nAttacks and looting<\/h2>\n
\u2018Most people living off food scraps\u2019<\/h3>\n