Israeli Humanitarian Efforts in Gaza

photo credit COGAT

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the Consulate General of Israel in New York wishes to address recent reports concerning developments in Gaza and to provide essential clarifications regarding Israel’s resolute dedication to ensuring humanitarian aid and food security.

Israel strongly disputes accusations made in recent reports, which fail to accurately represent Israel’s substantial humanitarian contributions and tireless efforts to assist the people of Gaza.

Israel’s Comprehensive Humanitarian Measures – Since the beginning of Hamas’s war against Israel, the Israeli government has been taking unprecedented measures to minimize the hardship faced by civilians in Gaza, who have been endangered, abandoned and exploited by the Hamas terror organization. Despite challenging circumstances, Israel has developed a sophisticated, multi-faceted mechanism to facilitate humanitarian support for Gazans, via diverse aid channels including:

• Direct aid shipments via the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings.
• Land aid via Jordan, providing alternative pathways for humanitarian assistance
• Grain supplies through Ashdod Port, ensuring a steady supply of essential items
• Maritime contributions via international partners, expanding reach of aid delivery
• 1,200+ aerial aid packages, enabling the rapid distribution of critical supplies to hard-to-reach areas

Overcoming Distribution Challenges – Israel acknowledges the significant internal distribution challenges within Gaza, primarily stemming from unauthorized interventions by Hamas and other militant groups, including aid obstruction, diversion and theft. This severely hinders the effective distribution of resources despite Israel’s considerable efforts to deliver aid. It is crucial to recognize that most bottlenecks in aid delivery occur after clearance at Israeli checkpoints and are internal to Gaza, not a result of Israeli policy.

Refuting Baseless Allegations – Israel categorically rejects allegations that it is intentionally causing starvation or famine in Gaza. Israel’s extensive efforts to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid serve as a testament to its unwavering commitment to preventing a humanitarian crisis in the region.

Advocating for Fact-Based Dialogue – Israel strongly advocates for a fact-based dialogue that acknowledges the on-ground realities, including the complexities of aid distribution and Israel’s proactive measures to support Gaza’s civilians amid exceptionally challenging conditions. We invite all interested parties to review the detailed COGAT assessment report, which provides an in-depth understanding of Israel’s wide-ranging humanitarian activities in Gaza.

Unwavering Commitment to Humanitarian Coordination – Israel remains steadfast in its mission to expand and enhance humanitarian efforts in Gaza. The Israeli government is actively coordinating with international organizations to navigate distribution hurdles and ensure that aid reaches its intended recipients without unjust interference.

Israel’s dedication to the well-being of the people of Gaza is unwavering. We will continue to work tirelessly to provide humanitarian aid, ensure food security, and cooperate with international partners to overcome any obstacles in aid distribution.