Daijiworld Media Network - Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv, Jul 16: The Israeli government has accused the United Nations and international organizations of failing to distribute humanitarian aid in Gaza, even as they continue to raise alarm over the crisis in the region. According to the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), thousands of aid pallets remain uncollected inside Gaza, awaiting pickup by UN agencies.

"Instead of publishing statements about ‘Gaza needing more aid,’ the aid already inside can be collected and distributed," COGAT said in a post on X.

In response, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) defended its position, citing a "restrictive operational environment" in Gaza. OCHA spokesperson Eri Kaneko stated that challenges such as insecurity, denied access, and unpredictable coordination procedures are making large-scale operations nearly impossible.

The US - and Israel-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) also criticized the UN, claiming logistical failures, not access, were the root cause of the problem. "The UN currently has thousands of pallets of aid inside Gaza awaiting distribution because their trucks are consistently looted, hijacked, or overrun by Hamas, armed gangs, or desperate civilians," a GHF spokesperson said.

The confrontation intensified after UN Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher issued a statement highlighting a critical fuel shortage in Gaza. COGAT countered by accusing him of spreading misinformation, stating that fuel deliveries have been taking place regularly under UN coordination.

The dispute has cast fresh light on the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where the delivery of aid has become a battleground of accusations between Israel and the international community. Meanwhile, the GHF claims to have delivered over 76 million meals to date, praising its aid workers for their perseverance amid dire conditions.