Only 30% of expected aid trucks entered Gaza in past 2 days: Media office

GAZA CITY, Palestine

The number of aid trucks entering Gaza over the past two days has not exceeded 30% of the expected volume, the Gaza Media Office said Sunday, citing Israeli restrictions on the entry of humanitarian supplies.

Gaza received fewer than 180 trucks, far below the daily quota of 600 set under a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, according to the office’s statement.

On Thursday, Ismail Al-Thawabta, the head of the media office, told Anadolu that Israel continues to block essential humanitarian aid in violation of the ceasefire deal.

The same day, Hamas said that Egypt and Qatar were working to resolve gaps in the agreement and reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the deal, including a prisoner exchange, according to the agreed timeline.

Palestinian officials have complained that Israel is failing to abide by the part of the agreement to let in more humanitarian aid.

Hamas had suspended hostage releases last Monday, demanding that Israel first comply with the humanitarian provisions of the agreement.

On Saturday, Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, released three Israeli hostages as part of the sixth prisoner exchange under the first phase of the ceasefire deal, which took effect on Jan. 19.

The agreement has faced violations in four key areas, according to Hamas: targeted killings of Palestinians, delays in returning displaced civilians to northern Gaza, the obstruction of essential relief supplies including tents, fuel and equipment to recover bodies from rubble, and restrictions on medical aid needed to restore Gaza’s health care system.

The ceasefire agreement halted Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed nearly 48,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.