October 31, 2024 war news in the Middle East

On By Littum

ARISH, EGYPT - OCTOBER 16: Trucks with aid destined for the Gaza Strip are parked on the side of the road on October 16, 2024 in Arish, Egypt. A British delegation has visited Al-Arish Hospital, where wounded Palestinians are treated, as well as a warehouse where humanitarian aid has been stored since the Rafah crossing to Gaza was closed in May. (Photo by Ali Moustafa/Getty Images)

The amount of aid to Gaza has fallen to the lowest level since Israel’s war in the enclave started, UN data shows.

Only 836 aid trucks have entered the Gaza Strip so far this month, according to data compiled by the UN humanitarian aid agency OCHA.

Before the war, an average of 500 aid and trade trucks ran on a daily basis.

Figures released by COGAT, the Israeli agency coordinating aid to Gaza, show that dozens of aid trucks enter Gaza daily, but hundreds are waiting “for collection” inside the territory. On Wednesday, for example, it said on its X account that 670 utility trucks were “awaiting pickup,” without giving a reason for the holdup.

So far in October, 24,000 tonnes of aid have entered Gaza, compared with a year-to-date high of 137,000 tonnes in April, according to COGAT.

A little background: Aid figures from the UN and COGAT are often different, primarily because they count emergency vehicles differently.

Israel counts trucks arriving at its crossings for inspection and entry, while UN agencies count trucks inside Gaza arriving for distribution.

Wednesday’s figures come after the Biden administration sent a letter to the Israeli government earlier this month demanding that it act improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza within the next 30 days or risk violating US laws governing foreign military assistance, suggesting US military aid could be at risk.