### UN Collects Over 90 Truckloads of Aid in Gaza Amid Ongoing Crisis

More than 90 lorry loads of humanitarian aid have been gathered by UN teams within the Gaza Strip following a partial easing of an 11-week-long blockade by Israel. The aid, consisting of essentials such as flour, baby food, and medical equipment, was transported from the Kerem Shalom crossing on Wednesday night and stored in warehouses for subsequent distribution.

Visuals revealed a bakery using some of the donated flour to produce bread. According to the UN, delays in aid delivery were attributed to security concerns along the single approved access route. While Israeli authorities reported allowing an additional 100 lorry loads through Kerem Shalom on Wednesday, the UN declared that the supplies fell far short of meeting Gaza's extensive needs.

Humanitarian groups have warned of severe hunger affecting the 2.1 million residents in Gaza, exacerbated by critical shortages of basic foodstuffs and rising prices. During a press conference in Geneva, Palestinian Authority Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan disclosed that 29 children and elderly individuals had recently died from starvation-related causes.

The UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) assessment indicated that half a million people could face starvation in the coming months. A UN spokesperson confirmed that about 90 truckloads of goods were collected from Kerem Shalom and dispatched into Gaza.

Footage showed the convoy of lorries transporting the aid along southern Gaza's roads, while other clips depicted bags of flour being unloaded at a bakery, resulting in the mass production of pita bread. Amjad al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organisations Network in Gaza, explained that bakeries supported by the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) would distribute the bread to the most vulnerable families initially.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported delivering medical supplies to a field hospital in Rafah, but emphasized the pressing need for more resources. "A trickle of trucks is woefully inadequate. Only a rapid, unimpeded, and sustained flow of aid can begin to address the full scope of needs on the ground," it stated.

Amid these efforts, senior WFP official Antoine Renard highlighted that the process of gathering aid was fraught with difficulties due to security concerns along the Israeli-approved route in Gaza, which posed risks from desperately hungry civilians and armed gangs. He stressed the necessity of "hundreds of trucks daily" to sufficiently address the needs and reduce public anxiety in Gaza.

Israel halted all aid deliveries to Gaza on 2 March and resumed its military operations weeks later, ending a ceasefire with Hamas. Israel asserted that the blockade was intended to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages. Accusations were made against Hamas for allegedly diverting aid supplies, which both Hamas and the UN denied.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a limited amount of food was being allowed into Gaza to support continued military operations aimed at defeating Hamas. He presented a controversial plan for aid distribution involving a private company, a strategy that has been criticized by UN and other agencies for violating humanitarian principles.

As the situation unfolds, Israeli bombardment and ground operations persist across Gaza, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting 107 deaths within a 24-hour period.