Gaza to receive first aid shipment from Jordan

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 30 saw off the first aid truck convoy from Jordan to Gaza through the newly reopened Erez border crossing by Israel.

“Right here in Jordan, we’re seeing a direct route from Jordan to northern Gaza through Erez. The first shipments will depart today,” Secretary of State Blinken told reporters.

“It is a real and important step forward, but there is still a lot of work to be done” to ensure aid continues to reach the people of Gaza, he said.

According to the US Secretary of State, during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on May 1, he will discuss with the host country's leader the measures that Israel still needs to implement to expand the flow of aid to Gaza.

Secretary of State Blinken's statement came about a month after US President Joe Biden sent a stern warning to Prime Minister Netanyahu, stating that Washington would change its policy if Israel did not take measures to address the danger to civilians, the humanitarian crisis and the safety of rescue workers.

The US Secretary of State is making his seventh trip to the Middle East since the Hamas-Israel conflict broke out in October 2023.

On the same day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also made similar comments, and asked Israel to fulfill its promise to open "two crossing points between Israel and northern Gaza, so that aid can be brought into Gaza from the ports of Ashdod and Jordan."

According to Mr. Guterres, the major obstacle in distributing aid across Gaza is the unsafe security situation for aid workers and civilians.

“I once again call on the Israeli authorities to allow safe, rapid and unhindered access for aid workers and supplies, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), throughout Gaza,” the UN chief said.

Also on April 30, Secretary-General Guterres called on Israel not to attack the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he would proceed with the operation, despite the pending hostage deal with Hamas.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Guterres assessed that a military attack on Rafah would be “an unacceptable escalation, killing thousands more civilians and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee.”

In addition, Mr. Guterres also expressed concern about the information about mass graves discovered in Gaza, including 2 hospitals. The UN Secretary-General said that those buried there were illegally murdered and requested an independent investigation into this incident.