Israeli military says more aid trucks to enter Gaza and denies shortages in the Strip

The Israeli military said Sunday it expects more aid trucks to begin entering Gaza soon, and denied that there were shortages of food, water or medicine, despite the complete closure Israel imposed on the territory in response to the October 7 Hamas attack.

Israel has set up a joint mechanism with the United Nations, the United States and Egypt to "facilitate the access of humanitarian assistance from Egypt to Gaza," said Colonel Elad Goren, head of the Civil Affairs Department for COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories), at a press briefing on Sunday.

“We have a lot of concerns about what is on those trucks so we are inspecting... We will see more trucks and the amount will be much higher in the next few days,” he added.

Despite a growing chorus of aid agencies that have released dire warnings about shortages of food, water and medical supplies, Goren stated there was “no food shortage in Gaza,” and insisted there was also enough water and medicine.

A US official who spoke on background regarding private conversations with Israeli officials questioned those assertions.

“International partners on the ground continue to report significant shortages of food, water and medicine. We are doing our best to compare those Israeli assessments with those of trusted partners on the ground. Is the food and water and medicine where people are? Where they have moved to? It’s a continuous discussion,” the official said.

The main UN agency in Gaza reported Sunday that "thousands" of people had broken into some of its warehouses, "taking wheat flour and other basic survival items like hygiene supplies."

Director Thomas White warned that "civil order is starting to break down" as people are "scared, frustrated and desperate."