UN relief chief welcomes increased aid to Gaza, freed Palestinian prisoners

Tom Fletcher, under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, expressed his appreciation to the UN and partners who are facilitating hundreds of aid trucks flowing into Gaza, while Hamas vowed to “rise again”.

Fletcher posted on 𝕏 there was “no time to lose” citing the urgent humanitarian needs in the Gaza Strip, saying: "As the ceasefire entered into force today, humanitarian aid moved into Gaza as part of a prepared surge to increase our support to survivors. More than 630 trucks with humanitarian aid entered Gaza today, with at least 300 of them going to the north. There is no time to lose. After 15 months of relentless war, the humanitarian needs are staggering.”

The ceasefire agreement stipulates that at least 600 aid trucks must be sent to Gaza each day during the 42 day truce, half of which must go to the northern areas of the Strip. Israel has been accused of not doing enough to facilitate aid distribution in the north, and even preventing the flow of aid, both of which it denies. 

In June, over 1,400 trucks of humanitarian aid that had been sent from Israel into Gaza remained uncollected by international organizations and the UN, according to the IDF.

According to Israeli statistics, Israel has provided 1,303,452 metric tons of aid since the start of the war, but the requirement of 600 trucks each day, 50 of which must be fuel, will be a substantial increase.

The Times of Israel reported that Gaza residents were glad to see stocked markets and lower prices. Aya Mohammad-Zaki, a displaced woman from Gaza City is reported to have said, “The prices have gone down, the war is over, and the crossing is open to more goods.” 

Meanwhile, in Khan Younis, a Gazan man named Ammar Barbakh, 35, reported that he was finally able to sleep in peace, albeit in a tent where his home used to stand: “This is the first time I sleep comfortably and I’m not afraid,” he told AFP. “We didn’t hear any shelling, and we weren’t afraid.” He added, “it’s a beautiful feeling, and I hope the ceasefire continues.”

As part of the ceasefire deal, Israel is set to receive back 33 of the remaining hostages and in exchange Palestinian prisoners would be released: 30 for each civilian and 50 in exchange for soldiers – potentially almost 2,000 altogether. 

Fletcher welcomed the release of both the hostages and the prisoners, saying, “Today also brings a measure of relief in Israel as the first hostages have been released to be reunited with their families. Detained Palestinian women and children were also released today, in line with the ceasefire agreement. This is a moment of tremendous hope – fragile, yet vital – as we continue to navigate the complexities of the days and weeks ahead."

A total of 90 prisoners were released on Sunday, more than 20 of whom were adult males, in exchange for the three Israeli hostages who were returned to Israel. 

In an official statement on Monday, the Hamas terror group promised that Gaza and its people “will rise again.”

They said, “over the course of 471 days, the systematic crimes of the occupation have failed to dissuade our people and their valiant resistance from clinging to the land and confronting the aggression,” adding that they would “continue on the path of steadfastness until the occupation is defeated and the independent Palestinian state is established with Jerusalem as its capital.”