Israel Facilitates Record Aid to Gaza

Latest Developments

Israel facilitated “the highest number of humanitarian aid trucks inspected and transferred in one day since the start of the war,” Jerusalem reported on February 5 regarding the previous day. Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the government unit supporting Israel’s humanitarian efforts, facilitated the inspection of 112 humanitarian aid trucks at the Nitzana and Rafah crossings as well as 159 aid trucks via Kerem Shalom — all near the Egyptian border. Most trucks carried food. Israel also described its support of “essential infrastructure in Gaza” by coordinating repairs and delivering four tankers of cooking gas. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) paused nearby military operations to ensure the humanitarian trucks’ safe transit into Gaza.

Expert Analysis

“COGAT has long played an important role in the facilitation of aid to Gaza. That role has taken on even more importance since October 7. The IDF’s commitment to this mission, even amidst a brutal war, has not wavered. COGAT will likely continue to have a role to play in reconstruction, as well.” — Jonathan Schanzer, FDD Senior Vice President for Research

“Jerusalem is facilitating the transfer of unprecedented humanitarian resources to Gazans with full knowledge that some of those resources end up in the hands of Hamas. The IDF is essentially fighting Hamas while providing the terrorists with food, water, and medical supplies. Meanwhile, Hamas has been holding Israeli hostages in subhuman conditions for over 120 days.” — Enia Krivine, Senior Director of FDD’s Israel Program and National Security Network

Aid Deliveries Continue

Israel has rejected complaints from international agencies about the allegedly low volume of aid reaching Gaza, emphasizing that Israel “is not at war with the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.” The Jewish state allowed a record 271 humanitarian aid trucks to cross into Gaza on February 4.

Since Hamas’s October 7 massacre, Israel has supported the transfer of 11,943 humanitarian aid trucks into Gaza. As of February 4, these deliveries included 144,030 tons of food, 20,780 tons of water, 23,160 tons of shelter equipment, 16,700 tons of medical supplies, 146 tanks of fuel, and 222 tanks of cooking gas. Since Hamas has been known to divert aid away from Palestinians, Israel and the international community are working to ensure receipt by Palestinian civilians.

Related Analysis

“Israel Facilitates Humanitarian Aid to Gaza,” FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Expands Aid Access to Gaza,” FDD Flash Brief

“U.S. Airlift of Gaza Aid Arrives in Egypt,” FDD Flash Brief