Martin Griffiths, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), welcomed Saturday’s opening of a crossing between Egypt and Gaza to allow humanitarian aid.
“The shipment follows intensive and in-depth negotiations with all parties to ensure the resumption of aid operations in Gaza as quickly as possible and in the right circumstances,” said Griffiths, who is based in Cairo.
According to OCHA, the first caravan of 20 trucks, overseen by the UN, includes essential supplies organized by the Egyptian Red Cross (part of the International Committee of the Red Cross) and the United Nations, which will deliver aid to the Palestinian Red Crescent. .
“I believe this shipment is just the beginning of a continuing effort to bring essential supplies to the people of Gaza, including food, water, medicine and fuel,” Griffiths said in a statement.
A British diplomat recalled that after two weeks of war, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip was “already dangerous, reaching catastrophic levels”.
“The people of Gaza have suffered for decades and the international community cannot continue to fail them,” said the UN humanitarian coordinator.
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