UN: Israel informed us it will cut Gaza aid trucks by half

The United Nations has confirmed that it has received a message from Israel stating that the number of aid trucks allowed into Gaza will be reduced by half. This reduction affects the previously promised 600 trucks set to be allowed passage following the ceasefire.

UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said at a press conference on Tuesday that Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) had informed the UN in a letter that the number of humanitarian aid trucks heading to Gaza would be cut by 50 per cent. According to the message, the decision was made on the grounds that Hamas has not yet returned the bodies of Israeli captives.

“We are aware of the message sent by Israel’s COGAT,” Haq said.

He added that the United Nations wants as much aid as possible to reach Gaza, stating: “We call on all parties to abide by their commitments, including the return of the bodies of deceased prisoners, and to implement the remaining provisions of the ceasefire agreement, most notably ensuring the flow of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip.”

US media outlets earlier reported that Israel had informed the UN of its intention to cut the agreed number of daily aid trucks entering Gaza under the ceasefire terms from 600 to 300, citing Hamas’s failure to promptly return the bodies of all Israeli captives believed to be trapped under the rubble.