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The United Nations World Food Program has confirmed the distribution of high-energy biscuits in Gaza as part of the first aid from a newly established humanitarian sea route.
In recent days, the WFP managed to deliver a limited number of these biscuits that arrived from a US-constructed pier, marking the initial success of the maritime project designed to support Palestinians in desperate need. WFP spokesman Steve Taravella reported that the biscuits were among the first items unloaded from the pier on Friday.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) noted that a total of 41 trucks filled with aid have reached humanitarian organizations in Gaza from this $320 million project. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, “Aid is flowing” from the pier after concerns were raised about the pace of aid distribution. Despite his assurance, he acknowledged that the delivery rate still needs to improve.
This development comes one day after Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder mentioned that no aid had reached Gaza.
American officials hope the pier will eventually facilitate 150 truckloads of aid per day to Gaza. However, this is still only a quarter of the 600 truckloads that USAID deems necessary daily to alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis caused by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The war, now in its seventh month, has led to critical shortages of food and fuel due to intensified Israeli restrictions on land crossings because of attacks from Hamas.
The entire population of Gaza, approximately 2.3 million people, is struggling with food shortages. The heads of the WFP and USAID have indicated that famine conditions have begun to emerge, particularly in northern Gaza. The situation is exacerbated by Israel’s recent control of the Rafah border crossing, a crucial supply route, which has severely hampered aid operations.
The WFP has warned that without Israeli cooperation to open alternate land routes and ensure security, the US project could fail. Humanitarian officials stress that the sea route is not a substitute for land-based aid deliveries and continue to urge Israel to permit a steady, large-scale flow of trucks through entry points, ensuring the safety of aid workers. However, Israel claims that logistical and manpower issues within aid groups, not Israeli restrictions, are to blame for the slow aid distribution, while the ongoing military operations complicate the retrieval of aid.
