Israel has criticized the United Nations for allegedly misrepresenting the amount of aid entering Gaza, accusing the UN of using a flawed approach to conceal its own logistical challenges.
Despite Israel reporting a significant increase in the number of trucks delivering aid to Gaza, the UN has provided much lower figures, claiming that the amount is insufficient to meet the humanitarian needs of the region.
Six months into the conflict sparked by a Hamas attack, Gaza continues to face dire circumstances, with most of its population displaced, infrastructure in ruins, and widespread disease.
Various aid organizations, including UN agencies, have urged Israel to facilitate the entry and distribution of humanitarian assistance in the besieged territory.
While Israel reported 419 aid trucks entering Gaza on Monday, the UN’s main agency in the region, UNRWA, stated that only 223 trucks had arrived.
The discrepancy in numbers has been attributed to differing counting methods employed by COGAT, the Israeli military unit responsible for aid transfers, and UN agencies.
COGAT accused the UN of using a flawed counting method, alleging that the UN only counts trucks picked up from the Gaza side of the border, rather than the actual number of trucks entering the territory.
The UN clarified that its count includes trucks that arrive at its warehouses, which may be partially filled due to Israeli screening requirements.
Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, explained that the discrepancy arises because trucks screened by COGAT are often only half full.
Logistical challenges, such as restrictions on Egyptian and Palestinian trucks, further complicate the aid delivery process and accurate reporting.
