US says humanitarian aid increased in Gaza but more needed

WASHINGTON

The US said Tuesday it has seen a steady increase in the amount of humanitarian aid getting into the Gaza Strip but it is still not at the level it needs to be.

"We have seen a significant increase in the number of trucks," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters, adding that it is at the level of 400.

About 500 trucks per day were entering Gaza before Oct. 7.

But according to a report Tuesday by the UN Relief Works Agency, there has been "no significant change" in the volume of humanitarian supplies entering Gaza or improved access to the north.

Since the beginning of April, an average of 181 trucks have crossed into Gaza per day via the Kerem Shalom and Rafah land crossings, it said.

Asked by Anadolu about the UNRWA’s report, Miller said the UN figures do not capture the entire daily volume because it does not count commercial deliveries since they are not part of relief efforts.

"We are not yet at the level we need to be," he said, "But we have seen steady progress."

"Our humanitarian experts who are on the ground have seen an increased volume not just on trucks but in humanitarian assistance going in. We've seen that over the past 10 days.," he said.

"But that said, it's not enough and it needs to continue and it needs to be sustained," he added.