UNRWA Commissioner-General Phillipe Lazzarini claimed that Israeli authorities had informed the UN that they would no longer approve any UNRWA food convoys to the north of the Gaza Strip, according to a post on X on Sunday.
# Gaza: as of today, @UNRWA, the main lifeline for #Palestine Refugees, is denied from providing lifesaving assistance to northern Gaza. Despite the tragedy unfolding under our watch, the Israeli Authorities informed the UN that they will no longer approve any @UNRWA food… pic.twitter.com/lfp9xRQuh1
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) March 24, 2024
"Gaza: as of today, UNRWA, the main lifeline for #Palestine Refugees, is denied from providing lifesaving assistance to northern Gaza. Despite the tragedy unfolding under our watch, the Israeli Authorities informed the UN that they will no longer approve any UNRWA food convoys to the north. This is outrageous & makes it intentional to obstruct lifesaving assistance during a man made famine. These restrictions must be lifted. UNRWA is the largest organisation with the highest reach to displaced communities in Gaza. By preventing UNRWA from fulfilling its mandate in Gaza, the clock will tick faster towards famine & many more will die of hunger, dehydration, + lack of shelter. This cannot happen, it would only stain our collective humanity," said Lazzarini in his post.
Lazzarini also said that he wanted to visit Gaza but was denied entry by Israel, during his trip to Cairo last week.
This claim comes shortly after the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) made a separate post claiming the opposite.
In COGAT's post, not only do they claim that Israel is allowing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, but that trucks are being held up in Egypt before they have even arrived at Israeli Inspection.
COGAT also announced that over 140 trucks containing humanitarian aid have entered Gaza through the Kerem Shalom Crossing, and are waiting for UN employees to pick them up for distribution.
"Again, the UN is deceiving. These trucks are awaiting inspection in Egypt and haven't reached Israeli crossings. The UN must scale up logistics and stop blaming Israel for its own failures. Btw, 142 aid trucks are still waiting for pick up by the UN on the Gazan side of KS," COGAT wrote on X.
Again, the @UN is deceiving. These trucks are waiting for inspection in Egypt and haven't reached Israeli crossings. The UN must scale up logistics and stop blaming Israel for its own failures. Btw, 142 aid trucks are still waiting for pick up by the UN on the Gazan side of KS. https://t.co/OFzRE6NbfP pic.twitter.com/RiABZh22LC
— COGAT (@cogatonline) March 24, 2024
Today I saw long lines of blocked relief trucks waiting to be let into Gaza.It’s time to truly flood Gaza with life-saving aid.The choice is clear: surge or starvation.Let’s choose the side of help, the side of hope & the right side of history.I will not give up. pic.twitter.com/TTTcnR01bU
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 23, 2024
The post was a response to another post on X by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres following his visit to the Gaza border on Saturday.
In his post, Guterress said, "Today I saw long lines of blocked relief trucks waiting to be let into Gaza. It’s time to flood Gaza with life-saving aid. The choice is clear: surge or starvation. Let’s choose the side of help, the side of hope, and the right side of history. I will not give up."
Today I saw long lines of blocked relief trucks waiting to be let into Gaza.It’s time to truly flood Gaza with life-saving aid.The choice is clear: surge or starvation.Let’s choose the side of help, the side of hope & the right side of history.I will not give up. pic.twitter.com/TTTcnR01bU
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) March 23, 2024
In his post, Guterres doesn't specify what is causing the delays in humanitarian aid, and only calls for a speed-up of the process.
UNRWA accuses Israel of delaying humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip
Also, before the COGAT post, UNRWA made a separate post blaming Israel for the delays in humanitarian aid distribution, citing an Associated Press report.
Israeli authorities have denied @UNRWA food convoys to northern #Gaza for the last 2️⃣ months.Israel claims that "hundreds of aid trucks are waiting" for @UN to distribute it, @AP reports. "No time for misinformation. Enough," our @JulietteTouma said.https://t.co/bBTFOy8I7t
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) March 24, 2024
In the report, the AP said, "Guterres repeatedly noted the difficulties of getting aid into Gaza, for which international aid agencies have largely blamed Israel." However, the report did not include the names of specific international agencies or what accusations have been made against Israel
Additionally, the report did not comment on the status of the aid trucks mentioned in COGAT's post, only that 7,000 aid trucks are waiting in Egypt’s North Sinai province to enter Gaza.