UN sees only slight rise in Gaza aid access since relaxed restrictions

Nearly one in five children under the age of 5 in Gaza City is acutely malnourished. July was the worst month for deaths linked to malnutrition, with more than 85 percent of malnutrition-related deaths recorded in 2025.

UNITED NATIONS, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The amount of food aid reaching hungry Gazans following Israel's opening of avenues of access is only a slight uptick, a UN spokesman said on Monday.

"We've only had one day of this so far, so we'll have to see whether this improves," said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "But there was a small uptick from what we've been having, which was a few dozen trucks going in for these days."

Haq said only about 100 truckloads of aid entered the Gaza Strip on Sunday, which is about one-fifth of what should be getting through.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that out of 17 missions requiring coordination with Israeli authorities on Sunday, only eight were facilitated, including the collection of fuel and supplies. Four missions, including the uplift of food cargo, were impeded but accomplished.

"The long-standing restrictions on the entry of aid have created an unpredictable environment with a lack of confidence by communities that aid will reach them," OCHA said. "This has resulted in many of our convoys being offloaded directly by starving, desperate people."

UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher on Sunday welcomed Israel's easing of restrictions on Gaza aid, saying that it will help alleviate the tremendous suffering of the starving population, adding that vast amounts of aid are needed to stave off famine and a catastrophic health crisis.

OCHA said UN agencies and their partners also welcomed the decision.

The World Food Program said it has enough food in the region or en route to feed the starving population for about three months, while the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees reported that 6,000 trucks in Jordan and Egypt were waiting to enter Gaza.

The World Health Organization said that July was the worst month for deaths linked to malnutrition, with more than 85 percent of malnutrition-related deaths recorded in 2025. Nearly one in five children under the age of 5 in Gaza City is acutely malnourished.

The office reiterated the urgency of a permanent ceasefire to provide adequate assistance and aid. "Israeli authorities must open all crossings and corridors to ensure the delivery of aid in an equitable and dignified manner," it said.

OCHA said that modest quantities of fuel reached Gaza last week, adding that fuel must be allowed in to keep aid operations running, including operating the trucks to collect and distribute cargo.■