For the first time in nearly three months, a small number of five aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Monday, 19 May, as mounting international pressure, including threats of sanctions from Western allies like the United Kingdom, France and Canada forced Israel to allow limited humanitarian access.
According to Israeli authorities and the United Nations, five trucks carrying baby formula and other essential supplies crossed into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called the development “welcome” but stressed that the volume of aid was “a drop in the ocean of what is urgently needed.”
Israel’s decision to resume what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as “minimal” aid came after warnings from key allies, including the United Kingdom, France, and Canada, who said they could no longer support the ongoing military offensive if Gaza’s humanitarian crisis continued to spiral.
Following the announcement, the three countries issued a strongly worded joint statement calling the aid insufficient and threatening “concrete actions”, including sanctions, against Israel for its operations in Gaza and the West Bank.
“We oppose any attempt to expand settlements,” the statement added, reiterating their stance that such actions are illegal under international law.
Israel’s limited aid is part of a new system backed by the U.S. and secured by the Israeli army. UN agencies and humanitarian groups, however, have refused to take part, warning that the plan would restrict access and turn aid into a political tool.
Meanwhile, Israel has escalated its military operations across Gaza, launching new air and ground offensives in areas including Khan Younis.
The Israeli government has stated plans to expand control over the entire Strip and has proposed the relocation of Palestinians to other countries, a move widely condemned by Palestinian authorities and international human rights organizations.
The war, which began with the October 7 Hamas-led attack that killed around 1,200 people in Israel, has since killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Around 90 percent of Gaza’s population has been displaced, most more than once.
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