Gaza, LOGIC.co.id – Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed at least six Palestinians assigned to guard humanitarian aid trucks from looters, Hamas officials said on Friday (May 24), as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that only a "teaspoon" of aid was entering Gaza amid an 11-week-long blockade by Israel.
The Israeli military stated that 107 trucks carrying flour, food supplies, and medical aid entered the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom crossing on Thursday, bringing the total to 305 trucks since the blockade was partially lifted on Monday (May 20).
However, aid distribution to displaced residents living in tents and makeshift shelters remains chaotic and limited. According to a coalition of Palestinian aid organizations, only 119 trucks have successfully distributed supplies inside Gaza since the easing of the blockade, due in part to widespread looting by armed groups near Khan Younis.
“They stole food meant for children and families suffering from extreme hunger,” the aid network said in a statement, which also condemned the Israeli airstrikes targeting security teams assigned to protect the aid trucks.
U.N. Highlights Humanitarian Emergency in Gaza
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) reported that 15 trucks carrying flour to WFP-supported bakeries were looted, a situation that reflects the deteriorating conditions in Gaza.
“Hunger, desperation, and anxiety over whether more food aid is coming is contributing to rising insecurity,” the WFP said in an official statement.
A Hamas representative confirmed that six members of its security unit guarding the convoys were killed. Meanwhile, Israel continues to accuse Hamas of diverting aid meant for civilians—a claim Hamas denies, stating that some of its fighters were killed trying to defend the trucks from looters.
The Israeli military has not issued an official response, but a spokesperson alleged that "Hamas keeps calling the looters 'guards' or 'protectors' to conceal the fact that they are obstructing the aid process."
Mounting International Pressure for Aid Access
With over two million people in Gaza crammed into shrinking safe zones along the coast and near Khan Younis, international demands for rapid and safe delivery of humanitarian aid have intensified.
“Without rapid, reliable, safe and sustained aid access, more people will die – and the long-term consequences on the entire population will be profound,” said U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.
A spokesperson for the German government echoed the concern, calling the aid efforts "far too little, too late, and too slow," and emphasized that the delivery process must be significantly scaled up.
Israel recently announced a new aid distribution system backed by the United States and managed by private contractors at four southern Gaza distribution centers. However, the exact mechanics of the system remain unclear. The United Nations has declined to participate, arguing that the new setup ties aid access too closely to Israeli military and political interests.
Israel has said that its forces will only provide security at the distribution centers and will not directly distribute the aid.
Military Offensive Continues Amid Trickling Aid
While limited aid has started to flow in, Israel’s military operation in Gaza continues. Overnight, Israeli forces carried out airstrikes on 75 targets, including weapons depots and rocket launch sites. Palestinian health services reported at least 25 people killed in the attacks.
The conflict was triggered by a Hamas cross-border assault on October 7, 2023, which left around 1,200 people dead and saw 251 hostages taken into Gaza, according to Israeli sources.
Since then, Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed more than 53,600 Palestinians, according to health authorities in Gaza, leaving the coastal strip in ruins. Humanitarian organizations warn that signs of severe malnutrition are becoming increasingly common.