Escalating lawlessness and security concerns in Gaza have significantly delayed humanitarian efforts, with more than 1,000 truckloads of aid remaining stagnant at a Gaza-Israeli border crossing days after Israel implemented a humanitarian pause in fighting. United Nations officials reported that people are looting trucks as soon as they reach Gaza.
The number of aid trucks entering Rafah in May dropped by nearly 71% from the previous month, according to UNRWA, and criminal attacks on aid convoys in the region have severely disrupted efforts to distribute vital supplies.
Aid officials said the situation does more than just block the flow of supplies; it increases the lawlessness in the region, especially given the lack of police presence. As a result, Israel’s military has increased security along key routes to facilitate safer aid delivery while dealing with direct attacks on convoys and complex smuggling rings.
Last week in Gaza, a group of men stormed a U.N. warehouse not for food or medicine but for hidden contraband cigarettes, highly valued due to severe shortages and soaring prices. United Nations officials said cigarettes have become as precious as gold, creating new obstacles for humanitarian efforts.
With cigarettes fetching up to $25 each, smuggling has intensified, particularly after Israeli forces took control of the southern border crossing in Rafah, pushing smugglers to the Kerem Shalom crossing. However, unlike at Rafah, they have been unable to pull trucks aside to unload contraband there.
Israeli officials have discovered cigarettes being smuggled among aid or carried by drivers. Smugglers sometimes conceal packs in hollowed-out watermelons or hide them inside containers of legitimate goods.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military’s temporary pier, which has been operational for just about 10 days total since its completion in May, has faced challenges in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. The pier was recently moved to Ashdod, Israel, to protect it from rough seas. Officials assure that it’s set to return this week to continue the flow of aid.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said while this setup is temporary, it has already moved over 3,500 metric tons of aid into Gaza.
Additionally, partnering with the Royal Jordanian Air Force, the U.S. has air-dropped over 1,000 metric tons of food and water since March, including 10 metric tons of ready-to-eat meals into northern Gaza in June alone.