US envoy: Not enough trucks in Gaza to distribute recent influx of aid

The biggest obstacle to delivering humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza following a major influx over the past several days is the lack of trucks available in the Strip in order to deliver the assistance, the Biden administration’s Gaza humanitarian envoy reveals.

US Ambassador David Satterfield says the UN and international agencies had enough trucks in Gaza when aid was at much lower levels throughout the first six months of the war. But with an average of roughly 400 trucks entering Gaza each day this week, more trucks will be needed in order to distribute the aid.

He says the UN and international community are responsible — in cooperation with Israel — for securing more trucks. A significant number of trucks have recently been purchased and are ready to enter Gaza along with others that are in the final stages of being bought, Satterfield says, adding that the US is also urging countries to donate additional trucks in order to meet the demand.

The US humanitarian envoy for Gaza notes the major increase in aid trucks entering Gaza since the weekend, but says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu committed to US President Joe Biden last week to ensure that 100 trucks of aid would reach the northern Strip each day. Israel is about half-way to meeting that mark, but is not there yet, Satterfield says.