Israel’s tactics to stop aid from entering Gaza

Israel has systematically imposed a range of obstacles that severely hinder the delivery of vital aid to Gaza, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli has actively blocked dozens of organizations seeking to provide assistance, while police have repeatedly failed to escort aid trucks crossing from the Jordanian border, leaving shipments in limbo.

At the key Kerem Shalom crossing, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have implemented restrictive measures that delay trucks, limit loading times, and close the crossing entirely on Fridays and Saturdays, crippling the flow of essential goods. Aid workers and international volunteers are barred from entering Gaza simultaneously with aid convoys, creating further logistical bottlenecks.

Food that fell from Gaza-bound trucks within Israel, yesterday. Requests for more time to secure the food were rejected by the IDF.

Inside Gaza, IDF-established checkpoints severely restrict the movement of trucks, disrupting supply chains. The social fabric of Gaza is rapidly unraveling, as the IDF’s targeting of police officers has further destabilized local law enforcement.

Meanwhile, UNRWA’s humanitarian operations face ongoing interference, and crucial medical supplies and foodstuffs remain restricted, deepening the population’s suffering.

These coordinated obstructions reveal a deliberate policy to strangle Gaza’s access to aid, compounding the devastating consequences of the blockade and ongoing conflict.

Israeli officials, from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu down, along with representatives of the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, claim that the failure to supply Gaza adequately is due to negligence or inefficiency by the UN and other aid groups.

However, since the blockade began, Israel has imposed numerous bureaucratic and physical obstacles at every stage of delivering food and aid to Gaza. These restrictions are backed by Israeli Supreme Court case rulings or enforced through arbitrary orders by low-ranking Israeli officers in the field. The result is that hunger persists.

Since Israel captured and destroyed the Rafah crossing over a year ago, goods can only enter Gaza by land through Israel.

Last week, COGAT rejected requests to bring Israeli-produced dates and potatoes into Gaza. Potatoes were refused due to their long shelf life, which could allow Hamas militants to trade or steal them. Dates were deemed a “luxury” item.

Source: Haaretz