By Al-Fassel | 2024-04-16

Food aid trucks are now entering northern Gaza from Israel through a newly opened crossing as part of increased efforts to bolster aid to Palestinians.

The first trucks came through on April 11, and underwent security checks and were accompanied by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers, the IDF said in a statement.

Earlier last week, Israel said it is planning to flood Gaza with aid through a new crossing and the Ashdod port just north of the strip.

The announcement came one week after a phone call between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which Biden demanded "immediate action" on aid.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said April 10 that up to 500 aid trucks will be entering Gaza daily.

"We plan to flood Gaza with aid, and we are expecting to reach 500 trucks per day," Gallant told reporters, adding that they will also "streamline security checks" to expedite the delivery of aid.

Opening more routes

After facing international condemnation in the wake of an April 1 Israeli strike that killed seven aid workers from US-based World Central Kitchen, Israel said it would reopen the Erez crossing near northern Gaza for aid delivery.

But a spokeswoman for Gallant said that another crossing into northern Gaza, near the kibbutz of Zikim, would open instead, the New York Times reported April 10. It was not clear if that was because of the damage at Erez.

Satellite imagery taken April 9 showed that the road leading to Erez on the Gaza side was blocked by rubble from a destroyed building, a crater and other damage, according to the newspaper.

Israel also planned to bring the Port of Ashdod, half an hour north of Gaza, on stream shortly, Gallant said.

Two routes were also being organized with Jordan, where up to 150 trucks would be checked there before crossing into Israel, he added.

Israeli authorities have improved aid delivery to Gaza but still "need to do more," President Biden said on April 10.

The United States was watching to see if aid begins "effectively reaching people who need it throughout Gaza" and if humanitarian workers can deliver it in safety, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said April 5 at a meeting with European Union officials in Belgium.

The top US diplomat said Washington would check on the number of aid trucks entering, if they could circulate, and if indicators showing the population is on the brink of famine improve.

Pursuing 'every channel possible'

While land routes can be the most efficient, cost-effective way to get assistance in, the United States is pursuing "every channel possible to get assistance into Gaza," a senior US official said March 7.

"We will do it by air, by sea, by land -- however we can get the maximum amount in possible."

Another senior US official said the United States wants to build redundancy into the aid system so that if one port of entry to Gaza is cut off, required supplies can still flow in elsewhere, the Washington Post reported April 6.

Since March 2, the US military has been airdropping bundles of food aid and water into northern Gaza to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict.

To date the United States has dropped approximately 855 tons of humanitarian assistance supplies.

The airdrops "contribute to ongoing US and partner-nation government efforts to alleviate human suffering. These airdrops are part of a sustained effort, and we continue to plan follow-on aerial deliveries," the US Central Command said.

Several countries, including France, airdropped around 110 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza, the French presidency and military said April 10.

"With Jordan and other partners, the airdrop today allowed the delivery of more than 110 tons of cargo," President Emmanuel Macron said on X.

The French military said Britain and Germany were involved in the operation, the largest France had taken part in so far.

US Army forces will also be building a floating pier in the eastern Mediterranean this month, with operations expected to begin by May 1.

The pier will enable the delivery of about 2 million meals by sea daily.