UN: Over 630 trucks of aid roll into Gaza as ceasefire offers a glimmer of relief

On January 19, over 630 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered the besieged Gaza Strip, as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. 

Tom Fletcher, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, confirmed the deliveries on X, noting that at least 300 of the trucks brought humanitarian assistance to the northern regions of Gaza, which have been particularly hard-hit, Caliber.Az reports.

“There is no time to lose,” Fletcher wrote, emphasizing the urgency of the situation as the region continues to grapple with the aftermath of the conflict.

A fragile ceasefire has brought an end to over 15 months of relentless Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, but the devastation left behind has rendered much of the territory uninhabitable, displacing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

About 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents were forcibly displaced during the conflict, often multiple times, with families fleeing the destruction of their homes only to find no refuge from the violence. Now, many are returning to ruins, facing the monumental challenge of rebuilding their lives.

“The halting of the bloodshed is an indescribable feeling. I thank Allah that I survived this war safely,” said Jomaa Shadi, a displaced resident. “However, when we returned to our homes, we found nothing but ruin and destruction. I don’t see my home, I only see destruction.”

Shadi, like many others, had painstakingly built his home over the years. Now, it lies in rubble, emblematic of the widespread devastation across Gaza. Entire neighbourhoods have been levelled, with infrastructure, hospitals, and schools in dire need of reconstruction.

By Aghakazim Guliyev