Facebook Twitter (X) Instagram Somali Magazine - People's Magazine
Despite the widespread destruction and danger from unexploded bombs, the United Nations says aid is now reaching Gaza at a much faster pace. On Friday, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Israel reported to ceasefire mediators that 950 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza on Thursday through crossings under Israeli control. Of these, 11 trucks carried fuel and gas. Around 143 trucks entered through the Kissufim crossing, while 807 went through Kerem Shalom, also known as Karem Abu Salem.
Dujarric confirmed that Tom Fletcher, the UN’s top humanitarian official and head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), entered Gaza on Friday. Fletcher crossed from Egypt into Gaza via the Israeli side of the Kerem Shalom crossing. The UN expressed hope that Israel will continue to allow not just senior officials but also essential UN staff — including nutritionists, health specialists, and demining experts — to enter Gaza to support humanitarian operations.
Once inside Gaza, Fletcher traveled to Deir al-Balah, where he visited the Castle Bakery. The bakery is one of nine supported by the World Food Programme with fuel and baking supplies. It was originally based in Khan Younis but relocated after Israeli orders forced residents to evacuate. The bakery now provides bread to thousands of displaced families in southern and central Gaza.
Fletcher also met with leaders of various UN agencies working in Gaza to discuss ongoing relief operations. He was expected to continue meeting humanitarian workers later in the evening and spend the night in Gaza. He praised the teams working on a 60-day plan to increase life-saving aid deliveries, acknowledging that the challenges remain vast but emphasizing their determination to make the most of the opportunities created by the peace deal.
Before entering Gaza, Fletcher spent Thursday at the Rafah border area, where he saw convoys of aid trucks heading toward Kerem Shalom. He thanked the humanitarian teams, the Egyptian Red Crescent, and all authorities involved in facilitating the movement of supplies and supporting the fragile peace efforts. Fletcher also visited Al Arish Hospital in Egypt, where hundreds of Palestinians injured or evacuated from Gaza are being treated.
According to OCHA, the UN and its partners continued delivering large quantities of medical supplies, food, fuel, and other essential goods through the Kerem Shalom and Kissufim crossings. Among the latest deliveries were 20 trucks carrying tents, diapers, and hygiene kits; three trucks with personal hygiene kits; eight tankers filled with diesel fuel; and two trucks loaded with animal fodder.
Despite the continuing challenges, movement within Gaza is slowly resuming. Families are returning to areas that have recently become accessible after months of fighting. UN partners monitoring the population flow reported that on Wednesday alone, over 17,600 people moved from southern to northern Gaza, while another 12,900 traveled within Khan Younis from west to east.
Fletcher’s visit marks a rare trip by a top UN official into Gaza since the start of the conflict, signaling renewed international engagement to improve humanitarian access. The UN says the situation remains fragile, but the increased entry of aid convoys and coordination between parties is a positive sign of progress toward meeting the urgent needs of Gaza’s people.