Israel agrees to resume humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza

The Israeli government has agreed to resume the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, marking a significant development after negotiations with Israeli officials. 

According to a statement from the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF), quoted by Axios, operations are set to begin by the end of May. 

“The Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) announced today that it will begin operations in the Gaza Strip by the end of the month. This follows negotiations with Israeli officials to permit the flow of transitional aid into Gaza through existing mechanisms until the construction of the GHF’s safe distribution sites (SDS) is completed,” the fund said in a statement.

Jake Wood, Executive Director of GHF, emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating that waiting for ideal conditions is no longer an option and that the fund is now one step closer to providing crucial assistance to those in need.

Axios reported that the resumption of aid deliveries was a key condition for launching the new aid mechanism established with support from both the United States and Israel. Israeli officials highlighted that this system is designed to deliver aid without oversight or control by Hamas, addressing longstanding security concerns.

In a letter dated May 14 and obtained by Axios, GHF requested Israel’s cooperation in facilitating the delivery of adequate humanitarian supplies to Gaza through the current mechanisms until the new distribution infrastructure is fully operational.

Additionally, the fund asked Israel to increase the number of safe distribution centres across Gaza to ensure aid reaches the entire population, including civilians who are unable to travel to distribution points. Israel has agreed to this expansion and is cooperating on finding solutions for broader aid access.

GHF also called on Israel to designate locations for new humanitarian distribution centres in northern Gaza within the next 30 days, a request aimed at improving the reach and effectiveness of aid efforts throughout the enclave.

By Tamilla Hasanova