New steps have been taken to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, particularly to northern Gaza, the IDF announced on Tuesday.
These initiatives, led by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), include transferring 126 aid trucks, opening two more bakeries, and working on the Bani Suheila water pipeline, all in northern Gaza.
The passage of hundreds of trucks carrying food supplies and humanitarian aid has become a priority for COGAT. As such, in the past two days, 553 aid trucks passed through the Kerem Shalom and Nitzana crossing following security checks.
On Monday, approximately 56 food packages were airdropped across the Gaza Strip.
With much of the IDF exiting northern Gaza, the IDF and COGAT have ensured that increased aid would reach these areas, with 126 trucks moving from southern to northern Gaza on Monday evening.
Several aid trucks, accompanied by IDF soldiers, entered through the 'Northern Crossing' after security inspections at the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Additionally, work continued to repair the Bani Suheila water pipeline in Khan Yunis. It is expected to open in the coming days and will increase the water supply to around 400,000 people in the area.
Opening additional bakeries to provide pita supplies
As part of an international initiative, the Coordination and Liaison Administration for Gaza is preparing to open two World Food Program (WFP) bakeries in Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip. This involved coordinating fuel and flour trucks to enable bakery operations.
These bakeries join another WFP bakery with a daily production potential of 650,000 pita bread, and the 23 bakeries opened in southern and central Gaza provide pita bread to over 2.2 million residents daily.
Despite these humanitarian efforts led by COGAT, more than 450 humanitarian aid trucks remain on the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing after undergoing security inspections by the border crossing authorities. The aid is waiting to be collected by UN agencies for distribution to Gaza residents.