Humanitarian aid arrives in Gaza

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: VOA

May 23, 2024 0:14 AM


Humanitarian aid is beginning to enter Gaza through a U.S.-built pier, according to U.S. officials. "Aid is flowing," national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Wednesday at the White House. "It’s not flowing at the rate that any of us would be happy with, because we always want more."

The Defense Department estimates that more than 800 tons of aid will have arrived by Wednesday night.

Navy Vice Admiral Brad Cooper said the United States hopes to deliver about 500 tons of aid daily via the pier, or about 90 trucks a day, according to CNN. The aid comes as much of Gaza is reportedly on the brink of famine. Some humanitarian aid officials say famine has arrived in some locations.

Aid arrived at the pier last week and was loaded onto trucks, but the truck convoy and much of its contents was overtaken by crowds of people. One man was killed in the incident. Aid organizations are now coordinating safe routes for the convoys to avoid any deadly incidents.

Read more: https://www.voanews.com/a/humanitarian-aid-arrives-in-gaza-/7623629.html

[Think. Again.]

1. Are there any...

....innocent, non-hamas, Gaza civilians still alive to accept it?

[Oopsie Daisy]

2. Oh brother. 🙄

[Voltaire2]

3. Should Israel kill everyone in Gaza that supports Hamas?

[Think. Again.]

4. Not any more than we should kill all white supremicists...

...why would you ask a question like that?

[AloeVera]

5. I don't know, but let's check in with...

Our trusted Western media. Oh wait...no Western media allowed in.

Local journalists? Oh wait...dead or about to be.

The people of Gaza, with all their cell phones? Oh wait... total blackouts, no electricity.

The refugee camps, like the newly-designated coastal al-Malawi, where hundreds of thousands have found "safety" and adequate conditions for life? Oh wait...they are all sick from drinking sea water while trying to dodge the rivers of raw sewage.

UN aid agencies, with all their experience and infrastructure, i.e. UNRWA? Oh wait... bombed and banned in the north.

That leaves us with COGAT, and they assure us that TRILLIONS of tons of aid were delivered just yesterday.

And of course the most reliable source... the IDF. They assure us that there is NO LIMIT TO THE AMOUNT OF AID ALLOWED IN and they are facilitating the entry of aid like no one ever has before because they are the most moral army in the world.

So to answer your question - do not worry! The people of Gaza are safe, sound and well-fed. It's all good.

[maxsolomon]

6. Yes. Somewhere over 2.2 million at last report.

The trucks are being waylaid by desperate Gazans before they can reach distribution centers. It's a dilemma.

[AloeVera]

7. Dilemma is an unusual description for a man-made famine..

One that could be stopped any time.

I suppose why it's not stopped is indeed a dilemma.

[maxsolomon]

8. It can't be stopped "at any time" - it will take weeks, months to alleviate famine,

and both parties to this war would need to cooperate. Neither are close to doing that.

[AloeVera]

9. Both sides are at fault? I see.

Disagree. As the occupying power, it is Israel's responsibility to ensure aid is provided in sufficient quantities. Moreover, only Israel has full control of what goes in or not, and full control of all crossings, most of which are now closed by Israel. But even before the closing of Rafah, aid has been impeded for 7+ months, hence why Gaza is facing famine. Israel could, if it had the will, open more crossings and let in at least the 500 trucks a day, the pre-war levels. It never has done that. Now it's closer to a thousand trucks needed, and at most a couple hundred get in.

Distribution is also problem because UNRWA has been knee-capped, the roads leading to many warehouses are destroyed, and some of the warehouses too. A major issue is the lack of deconfliction and provision of security guarantees for aid workers or some type of humanitarian corridor.

All of this is 100% solely in the control of Israel. So yes, it could be stopped pretty quickly if there was a will to do it. It has been obvious for some time that not only is there no will, the goal is the opposite.

The ICC would not accuse Israel of using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare if it did not have the evidence to support it.

[maxsolomon]

10. We disagree.

It may be imbalanced responsibility for the famine conditions, but Hamas provoked this situation on 10/7, knowing full well Israel would react the way it has. It was their intent to provoke this reaction, and Israel played into their hands.

Even now they prolong the looming famine by insisting on an Armistice and complete IDF withdrawal over a temporary Ceasefire.

[AloeVera]

11. We do, but not on everything.

No one is to blame for creating the famine except Israel. Whether Hamas wanted that (or not) is irrelevant. Responsibility for actions is not mitigated by the accident of your opponent having the same goal.

Hamas needs to surrender. Israel will not cease collective punishment as long as the war goes on. No political or even national goal of resistance is worth the price the Gazans are paying.

Now if Israel continues in the same vein, even after surrender, I would hope no one would try to both-sides that.

[Igel]

12. Heard on the morning news that 7,000 trucks are lined up in Egypt.

(Not sure I bought that, but that was the NPR claim.)

Except that Egypt will not let the shipments in unless it uses its preferred crossing point.

"We really value Palestinian lives, but value our decision as to which entry point to use far higher." Of course, Egypt was one of the applicants asking for today's verdict.

[AloeVera]

13. You have to dig deeper, if you honestly want the truth

https://democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3244237