Israel will facilitate the entry of "dozens of aid trucks" from UN agencies in the Gaza Strip on a daily basis in the coming days, a spokesperson from the Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry told Euronews on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that Israel will allow the entrance of UN aid trucks after 11 weeks of blockade. On Monday, nine trucks were cleared to enter the Strip.
At the time of writing, the spokesperson told Euronews that a "dozen trucks" were also set to enter on Tuesday.
"The items to be supplied immediately include: flour to the main bakeries operated by international organisations, supplies to the central kitchens operated by international organisations, baby food (and) medical supplies," the spokesperson said.
As Euronews previously reported, Gaza remained on the brink of famine after major aid organisations ran out of food stocks in recent weeks, according to UN agencies working in the territory.
Earlier in May, the International Court of Justice held a week of hearings on Israel’s obligation to "ensure and facilitate" humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in the Strip.
During the latest ceasefire that Israel ended in March, some 600 aid trucks entered Gaza each day.
Israel cut off the entry of aid to Gaza on 2 March and renewed its military campaign on 18 March in a bid to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages the militant group took in its 7 October 2023 attack.
It also banned cooperation with UNRWA's activities in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, claiming it has been infiltrated by Hamas, which the UN humanitarian aid agency strongly denies.
The Israeli government has repeatedly accused Hamas of controlling the aid flow and profiting from it, while allowing the Palestinians in the Strip to starve.
In late April, Defence Minister Israel Katz said the militant group should be stripped of all access to humanitarian aid meant for Gaza, which he claimed Israel was allocating despite the blockade.
The blockade of aid entering Gaza was criticised by the international community, including by some EU member states, Canada, the UK and the EU itself.
In a joint statement on Monday, France, the UK and Canada said the situation in Gaza was "intolerable" and criticised the initial proposal by the Israeli government to allow a basic quantity of food as "inadequate".
